


The Protectors

by Ondieva86



Category: Lucifer (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-08 06:06:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 148,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26967178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ondieva86/pseuds/Ondieva86
Summary: Hello! This is my first Bamon fanfictiton and this is my first story in english. So, i write a story in my mother language which is hungarian than i thought i would do this in english for some practice. I use google translater than i make some bug fixes but i am not sure that everything is fine in it.About the story: We start after seven years Stefan's death and Elena's awake. In Mystic Falls everybody lives their daily lifes but something wrong. The Travelers might return the town, Damon and Elena live with their daughter, Stephanie but they hide some secrets from each other and Bonnie has to return to town with unexpected news and botherd feelings. And who is Lucifer Morningstar? Why the Travelers want to go to Mystic Falls? And why Damon isn't so much happy althugh he got the girl?This is TVD/Lucifer crossover, and a Bamon fanfiction. Warning: anti-Elena, really anti-Elena. This fiction as i realised is a caracter drama. So be patient and enjoy it! I hope this story can achieve your amusement. Thanks for reading!Desclaimer: I own nothing included the caracters of the universe of Lucifer and TVD.
Relationships: Bonnie Bennett/Damon Salvatore, Caroline Forbes/Stefan Salvatore
Comments: 139
Kudos: 50





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is the Prologue. We begin in 1864 when Damon made a promise to Emily that he will protect the Bennett witches if Emily protects Katherine. I hope you will enjoy it!

Prologue

The forest was dark and surrounded by a perilous odor. The smell of blood. The darkness seemed almost impenetrable, until the white light of the full moon peeking out from behind the clouds illuminated a figure. The man was waiting. He watched intently for every ness the forest had released itself. He rolled his hat nervously as he walked up and down the trees. The man was not too tall, but his stout stature, beautifully incised face, and bright blue eyes had already caused many girls heartache in the small town. His Italian origins on his features, his thick black hair, fell in unruly strands on his forehead, and his tanned skin made him look exotic. On the outside, everything was perfect on it. The problem always starts with the inside.  


Damon Salvatore was a man of a sudden nature, young and adventurous, who did not care about the consequences. He is in stark contrast to his younger brother, Stefan, who, in turn, acted in the way others expected him to do. The older Salvatore boy did not want to take responsibility for anyone other than his younger brother. He didn’t want to behave the way others expected him to. He was not interested in the rumors, from him the whole city could have stood on top of his head. Only one person really cared about him, only one person so far has been able to really, wholeheartedly love him and do anything to protect him. Stefan, his brother. There was an inseparable bond between them until Katherine Pierce arrived at the Veritas estate.  


Damon, if he thought about her, his stomach twitched, his throat dry and an unquenchable desire for the woman that scorched every single cartilage. The fire the woman had awakened in her could not be compared to her loves so far. And there was plenty of it. Damon was exactly the kind of man who could easily fall in love, but then soon get over them, but Katherine was different. The man knew that this love would last forever as long as the world was the world. He didn't care that the woman's warm brown eyes flashed wicked at times, nor when she saw her suck the blood of innocent people and was captured in disgust, but she wasn't even impressed by the fact that she slept with Stefan. He just wanted to be with her for eternity.  


But this now seems to be prevented by ignorant, uncarved, rural people. They want to take her away from him, deprive him of his happiness, the only thing worth living for. That's why he was standing here in the woods now, waiting for another woman to show up soon.  


Emily Bennett was one of many black servants who worked on the Veritas estate, but not for Damon. He trusted the woman unconditionally, as soon as he first saw her on Katherine's side. He didn't know where that feeling might come from, but he was sure she wanted to protect him, and not just him, but Stefan. He never thought of Emily indecently, yet he sensed a strange bond between the two of them. Damon wasn't bothered by her skin color. He hated everything the Confederacy represented, and slavery was high on his list, despite the fact that their father, Giuseppe himself, kept slaves on the Veritas estate.  


Emily didn't look like a typical servant, even at first glance. That's why Damon turned to the Bennett girl. He knew the secret that she was a powerful witch, and he was sure the woman would be able to help her protect Katherine from the city's new vampire hunters.  


Waiting for a while, Damon was dragged back from his thoughts into the world of the dense, dark forest. Emily soon appeared among the trees. She wore the same dress as always. She wore a beige, silk, long-sleeved wrinkled skirt, a plaid overcoat over her, and a white headband over her head. He walked softly over to Damon, and the man could clear the woman's beautiful green eyes even in the dark.  


"Why did you call me here, young Salvatore?" Emily asked softly.  


“You need to help!” Damon's voice was pleading. She scanned the man's glowing blue eyes. “They can't catch her! Damon begged. - They can't kill her! Emily, she can't die!” Tears welled up in his eyes.  


Emily watched silently Damon's desperate face. She stroked it carefully as the man raised his tear-floating eyes.  


"I'll help you, young Salvatore," Emily said softly. “But know I don't give it away for free!”  


A sigh of relief erupted from Damon at the woman's words. Ask him Emily whatever she does, only Katherine stay alive. He would even sell his soul for the devil or anyone else.  


"I'll make sure you promise me something in return."  


She straightened up. His features hardened, she broke his head proudly. Damon was scared for a moment. Emily emitted a force he did not know. He knew the woman was a witch, but he had never experienced what that really meant before.  


“I'll do whatever you ask.” Damon replied firmly.  


Emily nodded and turned her back, then walked to the base of a cut tree.  


“Follow me, young Salvatore!”  


Damon stepped after the witch in an almost selfless state. He had no idea what the woman was planning, but he didn't care. The relief that Katherine would be safe allayed all his worries.  


Emily stopped at the tree stump and pulled out a yellowish paper, then took a silvery dagger in her hand that could have hidden under her skirt until then. Damon faced him. At the sight of the dagger, he froze back a little, and the witch smiled.  


"Fear not, I will not hurt you!" Emily said softly.  


She spread out the paper with some sort of writing on it, but Damon couldn't take out the letters because of the darkness. Excitement was replaced by curiosity. He wonders what the witch might want from her? What is she planning with him? It does not matter. Katherine will live, that's the point.  


"I know what Katherine is planning to do with you," Emily began. - He wants to change you. It will take away your innocence from you, it will change everything within you. There will be no other feeling in your hearts than an endless hunger for an eternal half-life.  


Damon doesn’t care about these. He fully accepted becoming a vampire. He put up with the only way he could be with the love of his life. Sure, he didn't like the kill, the constant blood thirst he had heard so much about, but he thought it was a small price to pay for his love. The only thing he didn't like was that Katherine wanted to change Stefan, too, and he had to come to terms with it.  


"But your future long life," Emily continued, "gave me an opportunity for something I had long wanted to accomplish."  


Emily looked at Damon with a serious face.  


"Give your word, young Salvatore, to protect the Bennette witches, no matter how dangerous they may be in life! The Bennett bloodline is sacred before the Lord and can only be protected by a Salvatore.”  


Damon didn't quite understand the last sentence, but he didn't want to search. The life of Bennett witches in exchange for his happiness? It didn't seem like a big price.  


"All right," Damon nodded.

Emily suddenly took her hand. The light of the full moon illuminated them both. Damon could see the letters on the paper now, but he didn't recognize the language in which the text was written. A strange indelible figure was also drawn on the paper, but the man was unable to discover any meaningful figure in it.

“Give me your word, young Salvatore! Defend the Bennett bloodline!” Emily's voice almost zipped in the night as the wind rose around them and it began to carry the scratch around their legs.  


“I give my word! Damon shouted in response.” The growing wind was already tearing their clothes.  


Emily raised her dagger as she held Damon's hand over the paper. With the silvery glittering blade, the witch first cut Damon's hand. The man howled in pain, but did not pull his hand away. His curiosity was greater than his fear. Then Emily cut her own hand. The two wounded palms were pressed together by the witch, and the blood of the two of them dripped onto the paper together. Emily began to cast spells. The words first came out softly in his mouth, then louder and louder.  


„Phesmatos nax ekvirum mover!”  


That few words were repeated by Emily, already screaming at the end. Damon also spoke Italian, Latin, and French well, but did not recognize that language. His palm no longer hurt from the cut, but the witch pressed it to hers so that Damon's fingers whitened. He didn't know exactly what was going on. He sensed that the wind was hissing terribly, yet the unfolded paper did not vibrate, but the drawing on it curled back and forth. Damon focused on this moving figure. He was not at all surprised by what he saw, as he was aware that magic was now being performed. He just didn't know what. By the time Emily stopped chanting, the figure stopped, and a tangled letter B and an S could be clearly taken out. Then the paper faded.

„It's done,”Emily said. It was the weight of her words, Damon felt clear.  


„What it means? "  


„That you can't break your word, young Salvatore." You have to take care of the Bennett witches throughout your immortal life.” Damon nodded in agreement.  


„Thank you, Emily.”  


The witch smiled, then nodded at Damon.  


"Remember this day, young Salvatore! There may come a time when you have to choose to sacrifice yourself or the person to be protected.” With that, the witch turned on her heel and left.  


A century and a half later, the moment really came for Damon to choose between his own happiness and that of a Bennett witch, and Damon Salvatore chose it. He never broke his promise to Emily.


	2. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter. In this we get to know Bonnie’s thoughts. Through her eyes we will see the last seven years. Why is it that she doesn’t really want to come back even though she wants to see her best friend more than anything. So, Bonnie drives from Whitmore to Mystic Falls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "What you hide in your heart  
> open it to your eyes;  
> what you guess with your eyes  
> wait for it with your heart."
> 
> /Attila Joseph: What you hide in your heart/

Chapter 1  


**Returning home**

_Mystic Falls, nowadays_

There is a small town in the southern part of the state of Virginia, named after a nearby waterfall that offers scenic beauty. Mystic Falls is a special place. It always has been. It served as a home for strange creatures before anyone settled on the land surrounded by mountains and forests. It was here that the demons of the night were created, and here the prisoners of the full moon and the servants of nature were born.

If anyone got lost here on their journey, they would only see an average American town full of carefree people living their daily lives. They go to work, raise children, take care of their families. But the city is full of dark secrets.

The church occupying the main square is not a very ostentatious or particularly beautiful church, but the tower clock is always accurate. But the bell of this temple was able to evoke the fire of hell, and the faithful who came here did not even suspect that seven years ago their beloved city had been destroyed almost because of the bell, which they so mourn because it was broken in two.  


You should definitely visit the Mystic Grill. It is centrally located and always crowded with guests. It used to be just a bar where food was sometimes served. Mystic Falls is the only nightclub for young people. Today, however, tourists all over Virginia are flocking here just to rinse their dry throats with some cold beer and sample the famous Salvatore pancakes. The owner of the Grill prepares them himself and many other delicacies at the request of the guests. By the way, the owner is already 185 years old, but no day looks more than thirty, and for seven years he himself even preferred to eat human blood instead of pancakes, and the stray guests can not guess that the waiter who is just bringing them their food, at full moon it transforms into something quite different. But it can also happen that he is sometimes served cordially by someone who always has a spell in his or her pocket, maybe some blood in the freezer.  


Mystic Falls also boasts two high schools. Mystic Falls High School is home to a not-so-famous but even more talented football team called Timberwolves, and Salvatore Boarding School is home to children with “special needs”. You can only get here if you have a talent for magic, you “accidentally” turned into a vampire, or the werewolf broke out of you. These kids really need special treatment. It’s no coincidence that school principal Alaric Saltzman himself began his career as a vampire hunter in Mystic Falls. He has a special friendship with the owner of the Grill, so his fairly old students can always get a job at Damon Salvatore.  


So, Mystic Falls isn’t even an average place, but for those who live here, whether human or any supernatural, it is home, a shelter where they can feel safe.  


She was about to return here and after a year, Bonnie Bennett, who was currently the strongest witch in the world.  


She drove a battered-worn gray Saab on Road 4 to Mystic Falls to visit his friends and attend a large-scale birthday party organized for his goddaughter. Strictly adhering to the speed limits, Bonnie tried to settle her thoughts so that the happy event would not turn into a disaster for her.  


What was the problem? A lot of things, at least Bonnie thought so. First, she needs to get back to her friends with news that will turn their lives upside down again. She wasn't sure everybody would all take it so easily. Then there He was, whom she must meet again now. She was tormented by guilt for not looking at him for a year, but how could she tell him why she did it? Bonnie needed time, space away from everyone, away from His happy life. If she had stayed close, she would have been unable to think clearly, and since Bonnie had always placed the happiness of others before her own, it would have been a ready torment to see Him, after all that had happened to her.

Even now, she didn't know how to behave. Jump around his neck? Too violent reaction. Will two kisses on his face be enough? No, he wouldn't take it for granted. Do they just shake hands? Huh, it would be surely surprised him to see that when she left the town, they were still in a pretty close relationship with each other. After all, He is her best friend.  


She didn’t want to be noticeable, but if she just thought about hugging him, sucking in his scent, looking into those clean, sea-blue eyes, it’s all over. She thought straight back with nostalgia for the years when they still wanted to kill each other. How much easier it was to hate him than to love him.  


But then everything changed, and from then on for Bonnie Bennett, he became the most important creature in the world. The person she wanted to protect more than anything. If He was sad, then Bonnie, if He was cheerful, then she, too, if He was about to kill, then Bonnie was ready to stop Him. She would have gone to extremes for Him, and she was sure that He would do the same, and they had not even proved it to the other once. But in those days, everything was simpler. He loved someone else, and there was so much going on around them that Bonnie didn’t have time to think about what she was doing and didn’t even want to analyze it. It was enough to know that He was her best friend, and maybe a little more than that, but that’s it.  


Then He disappeared, left. They said goodbye to each other in the sure knowledge that they could never see the other again, and then, there in that dusty New York warehouse when he closed the coffin to himself, Bonnie knew exactly how she felt about him, but it was too late. She felt that there was only a gaping hole left in her heart that no one would be able to fill. Thinking about how Bonnie would be dead by the time he wakes up was the worst moment of her life. She was still shivering at the memory.  


But Enzo came, and that certain hole began to coalesce. Bonnie fell in love with the handsome vampire from the bottom of her heart, and there were moments when she could really have done the worst: give up being a witch to become a vampire for Enzo. Of course, she couldn't do that. At the time, she was still connected to the best girlfriend of her life, who could only wake up from her magic coma if she died. She didn't know what it would mean for Elena to become a vampire, and she didn't want to risk it. The same thing happened again: She or Elena. And the answer was always the same: Elena.  


But life always holds surprises. Three years after He closed the coffin to himself, he appeared in the doorway with a bouquet of flowers in his hand, a penitential face, and it all started all over again. Well, she didn’t forgive him right away, but it didn’t take her much time to be best friends again. That was okay for a while. Until Enzo died.  


There were still tears in Bonnie's eyes as the image appeared in front of her as Stefan Salvatore ripped out the heart of her love and she was kneeling over Enzo's gray body. She loved the man so much that her pain over his loss created a separate psychic plane where Enzo's soul could rest in peace. She mourned him for years. That’s why she went from Mystic Falls to see the world. She left her friends and traveled the planet as Enzo advised her. They’re still connected at some level, and that might help her get through the coming weeks. But if she thinks about it more, her feelings for the Other are much deeper. He is her partner. It’s true they haven’t seen each other in a year, but they’re still best friends.  


Bonnie took a deep breath as Saab continued to drive miles from Whitmore toward Mystic Falls. The witch tried her best to concentrate only on driving, but the memories surfaced on their own.  


When she returned home from her great trip around the world, she was surprised to find that life in Mystic Falls had changed a great deal. Her other childhood friend, Caroline Forbes-Salvatore (Bonnie was not at all surprised that the blonde vampire kept the woman's name even though she could only enjoy the role of wife for a few hours) helped Alaric run the Salvatore school. Jeremy, Elena’s younger brother, and Bonnie’s ex-boyfriend, instead of hunting down supernatural beings (being Jeremy Gilbert a hunter, the last surviving member of the Brotherhood of Five), also helped locate prospective students at the school. Matt Donovan, perhaps the only human member of their small team, free of all supernatural things, became the esteemed sheriff of the city. And He… well, He lived a peaceful, human life with Elena in Whitmore.

Of course, he engaged the woman he loved and planned their life together. While He studied cooking and economics (Bonnie always had to giggle at this idea), Elena was trained as a doctor, just like her father. They wanted to live a life without any supernatural things, but Bonnie wasn't sure he wanted the same. When the witch visited them, she saw that certain sad light in his eyes. Bonnie knew Him like no one else. She read perfectly in Him. She knew he was doing his best to make Elena happy, even if it meant having to break away from his friends and the life he actually loved. As he became human, he lost something very important, and Bonnie knew exactly what he was feeling. To Him, vampirism was like magic to a witch. As a vampire, he could feel his life full, but the reversal didn't go as easily for him as he thought Bonnie was sure of. Therefore, the witch decided to help Him. Not just because of him, but because of her best friend. The happiness of the two of them meant more to Bonnie than anything.  


As a first step, she enrolled back at Whitmore College. She studied cultural anthropology and occult sciences. She then persuaded Him to help Alaric with the school's neat and troublesome things. She didn't have to be told this twice, and the mischievous glitter that Bonnie missed so moved back into his eyes after a while. Alaric, Dorian, Caroline, Bonnie and He became the "Scooby Gang".  


But life was never easy, and again something happened that completely knocked Bonnie out of her mental balance. The trouble started on the wedding day. The big event in Mystic Falls: the marriage of Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore. Half the city gathered for the wedding. Bonnie and Caroline organized it all. Everyone was very excited that day, and yet… Bonnie knew He wasn’t cloudlessly happy.  


Before the ceremony, she opened to him into the dressing room. He adjusted his tuxedo nervously as he stared sadly into the mirror. Bonnie walked over to him and the man turned to face her. The witch adjusted his tie on his scarf and asked softly:  


“Is he missing?”  


The man sighed heavily and tears welled up in his eyes.

“You don't even know how much. He promised to be here. He should have been my Best Man. He should be standing next to me here! How did he do this to me?”

His voice betrayed endless sadness, and the witch's heart would then break to see him that way.  


Bonnie said nothing, just hugged him. It was one of those rare moments when she could feel really close to him and didn’t mind. They had a special relationship, they meant more to each other than they would have ever admitted to themselves, and Bonnie felt it clear then. Eventually the man calmed down and everything seemed to be fine.  


"This is my big day, Bon-Bon! So, dance up! "He said that with a smile, and Bonnie couldn't leave him without a fight."  


“No! You are wrong! It's Elena's big day. You'll just stand there in silence and nod, then say I do!”  


The man replied with a mocking smile, and Bonnie smiled return, then closed the door, in the sure thought that everything would be fine.  


But it didn't happen that way. Bonnie was standing behind Elena when her fiancé said a blissful yes, and at that moment the witch felt the same way as when the man had closed the coffin to himself years earlier. Everything was lost and it was too late to do anything about it. Her horrible guilt struck, but the worst part was that she couldn't share it with anyone. Literally with anyone. So she forced a smile on her face and tried to dispel the disturbing feelings. It worked for a while. Everything went smoothly. That awful feeling lasted only a few moments, and Bonnie found it ridiculous that the thought of jealousy had turned in her head at all.  


Then He asked her to dance. As the man touched her, the witch's heart began to pound. Their bodies rocked softly to the rhythm of the music, and Bonnie wished that moment would never end. When the music was over, they looked into each other’s eyes and something changed forever. The same was reflected back from the man's crystal blue eyes that Bonnie felt. On his wedding day. While half the city was there. While Elena danced a little farther there with Jeremy. If then Caroline doesn't ask Him… Bonnie didn't dare think about it, nor was she sure her girlfriend didn't notice anything. Her intervention was too… fast.  


Weeks passed so that Bonnie tried to stifle everything she felt for him. It was never mentioned what happened then. They just seemed to move on. The friendship, the bond that stretched between the two of them, was too precious to lose.  


Bonnie continued to visit them regularly, especially after Stephanie was born, whom the witch loved more than anyone. The little girl was a perfect replica of her father except for her eyes. Those dismembered looked like Stefan's. The only thing reminiscent of the Gilbert bloodline in the little girl was her long blonde hair. Bonnie adored her. She would do anything to protect Stephanie Salvatore.

It will now be Stephanie's fifth birthday. That's why she has to go back. Even though she made the decision a year ago to retire permanently. But she couldn't because her friends would need her.

“Damn Lucifer Morningstar!” She cursed as she struck the steering wheel and left "Welcome to Mystic Falls!" labeled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, hopefully this chapter won over you as well. Not much happened in it, but the story itself starts slowly. I have to describe seven years, which I will present from four different perspectives. The first point of view is Bonnie's. If you liked it or not, please leave a comment. I appreciate you getting tired and writing me a few words or sentences. Thanks for reading! Have a nice day!


	3. Deal wit the Devil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My dear readers! I managed to translate another chapter, which I am very happy about.  
> In this we can find out what happened to Bonnie during the one year she was away from Mystic Falls.  
> In this chapter I linked the two universes together. I haven't changed the rules for any of them, I think they fit well. We see how it worked.
> 
> So, Storytime:)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The big work is over, yes.  
> The machine rotates, the creator rests.  
> It acts on its axis for millions of years,  
> While a wheel tooth needs to be fingered.  
> Up back, my world is defending, up,  
> Start endless tracks.  
> Let me rejoice in you once more,  
> As soon as you hum under my feet."
> 
> /Imre Madách: The tragedy of the man/

Chapter 2

**Deal with the devil**

Bonnie opened the door to her neat whitewashed house. The size of the house was far behind the type of houses her friends lived in, but for the witch, it meant the warmth of home. He practically grew up here, learned to walk, learned her first spells, and felt the spirit of Grams closest to her. This was the house where Shiela Bennett lived. Caroline and He bought it for her so she always had where to return.  
When Bonnie looked around, she saw that the little house was clean. There was no dust sitting on the furniture, the windows shone, and an immaculate order reigned; someone even took care of her flowers.  


"It could only have been Caroline," Bonnie told herself, a warm smile on her face.  


She is looking around for food. When she opened the refrigerator, she was surprised to find that it was not completely empty. Bonnie found some microwaveable food, fresh juice, and someone (perhaps the diligent elves) even left her a six-can carton of beer.

After eating her hearty breakfast (which was spaghetti with some minced meat fresh from the microwave), she decided to rest a bit. She got here early enough from Whitmore, and Stephanie’s birthday only started in the afternoon. Only nine half could walk. She quickly wrote a message to Elena that she had arrived and would definitely be there for the party. The response was received immediately:  


_“I’m so glad Bonnie” ‘smiling head’ ‘Could you come a little earlier? Unfortunately, I still had to go to the lab today to take care of a few things” ‘sad head’ ‘Caroline needs help’ ‘winking head’  
_

Bonnie's fingers were already running across the touch screen.  


_"When do I have to go?" ‘Wonder head’  
_

The answer came:  


_“Care will be with us this morning. It's enough that you only come in the afternoon. "  
“Then I’ll go there for three” ‘winking head’  
"We can't wait to see you!"  
_

Bonnie smiled and sent back a heart. She too couldn't wait to see them. It was a great relief to her that Caroline would be there for a lightning rod if needed. Guilt was now resurrected in her soul. She thought it better to go up to his room and rest for a few more hours. She has to relax before seeing Him again.  
When she got up, she saw that there was an immaculate order in the net as well. Nowhere is a shagpile, the clothes neatly folded into the closet, all the objects in place. Someone really cleaned at her up thoroughly. Two people had the key to her apartment, Caroline and Him, but Bonnie made sure He would never come over to clean it unless… No, it couldn't be. Caroline must have entrusted someone.  


The witch jumped wearily on her bed. Someone was already waiting there between the pillows. Mrs. Cuddles, her childhood stuffed animal, which she teleported here from the 1994 prison world. For Bonnie, Mrs. Cuddles meant she could never give up, no matter what happened, she had to persevere. At the same time, she kept reminding him when she had been locked up with Him for more than four months. Then it all started. It was then that she felt for the first time that she could feel something other than hatred and anger at him. Much more than she ever thought.  


She shook her head, then drilled into the fur of the soft teddy bear. She tried to dispel distracting thoughts. She has to behave today! Not just because of him, but because of Elena and Stephanie. Somehow, she has to learn to live with the idea that her desires can never be fulfilled. She could have become accustomed to always being the one who sacrifices herself for others. Why did it go harder now? Because something happened that finally broke through a barrier in Bonnie, encouraging her to stay as far away from Him as possible. Something she could no longer undo or forget. And though she didn't want to remember that evening, her thoughts kept turning back because she has to memorize every word she heard from Lucifer Morningstar.

***

_1 year ago…  
_

The nightclub Bonnie had entered was crowded with people. The music roared loudly from the speakers, women in plain clothes writhed on the podium around the stage, and alcohol flowed in all amounts. Bonnie's eyes were hurt at first by the strong, flickering lights, but she soon got used to it. She walked slowly down the stairs, her eyes always searching for the man he had recently found on the net. The witch wanted to check what she could know about the rumors that were coming from the Travelers lately. When it came to that congregation of lunatics, he thought it better to go before things.

Barely a month ago, they had been drinking with Alarick, Caroline, and Him. They had a particularly difficult time with a little girl who was barely fifteen years old, who had been transformed by a cruel vampire just that day. Fortunately, His experience has helped tremendously in such situations. He had the ability to calm the young vampires. No one knew whether he had collected this as a mortal or even as a vampire. He’s not the kind of person who tells a lot about his past. He didn’t really keep a diary or notes like his younger brother.

The cloudless drinking didn’t last long because Dorian, one of the school’s esteemed teachers, assistant, historian, so everything struck them with strange news: the Travelers began to move. Upon hearing the news, Bonnie almost spat out the bourbon she was holding in her hand. There was still a vivid feeling in her as the horde of the Travelers, wishing to settle in Mystic Falls, passed through her body to transfer to the dying Another World. This led to Bonnie dying for the third time or nearly dying.

“How is that possible?” Caroline asked. Bonnie couldn't really speak.  
"Not all Travelers wanted to settle in Mystic Falls at the time. As far as I know, only Marcus's followers managed to get this far,” Dorian replied nervously. He may have been excited too because his gaze zigzagged back and forth among the members of the company.

Bonnie's eyes widened in horror. Suddenly she looked at Him. Fear also moved into the blue eyes. They all knew that if the Travelers were getting ready for something big, they needed doppelganger’s blood, and there was only one left alive, Elena.

"If I understand you correctly, are you saying that a few of them may have been alive?" Bonnie asked.  
“Yes. But I don't have accurate information. Someone should go to Europe to find out more about them. According to my source, they are preparing for a large-scale thing. The good news is that there aren’t many people left, the bad news is that there’s a pretty strong guy among them, too." In the meantime, Dorian also entered the office and served himself from the bourbon.

They sat silently for a few seconds, immersed in their thoughts, then Bonnie and He popped up at the same time.

“I undertake!”  
“What?!” Bonnie looked at him incomprehensibly.” Are you crazy?”  
The other just rolled his eyes and snorted mockingly.  
“Come on, Bon-bon! A little family outing?”  
“You really aren't normal. You are human and you have family.”

The man frowned and his eyes turned quite dark blue. Bonnie knew he was angry now. The others watched intently as the heated dispute evolves between them, about hundred times in the course of today.

“Look, Bon!” He began. "The Travelers don't really like you. God knows what they would do to your pretty little cheeks if you met them.” His voice became serious, and he almost whispered the last sentence. "And you know I'm not going to let even the strands of your hair bend." We're not playing LSB again!  
Bonnie looked back at him a little relaxed.  
“I'm a big girl! I can take care of myself. Anyway, what is the LSB?”  
“Let's Sacrifice Bonnie!” Caroline replied, pointing her finger at the man, indicating that he had invented it.  
Bonnie almost laughed, but tried to suppress the laughter, given the seriousness of the situation.

“Don't worry so much!” She looked around the startled company before she just rolled her eyes. “I'm going to Europe. Discussion closed! As a cultural anthropologist I find it easier to obtain a visa if I apply for it, citing my research material, and account for travel expenses with the university.”

It seemed to be she is slowly convincing them.  
“What if I went with you?” He asked.  
“No!” Bonnie replied firmly. "You can't leave Elena and Steph here! And then there's the Grill. Who would make the famous Salvatore pancakes?”  
They all smiled at this, and the other nodded in agreement.

“All right, but promise to be careful!”  
"I promise," Bonnie said, hugging her friend tightly.

She packed the next day and returned to Whitmore. She arranged a couple of phones and immediately applied for a visa. She didn't have to wait long. Two weeks later, she was already flying on a plane to Bulgaria. She believed that the Eastern European country was a good starting point for finding the Travelers. The Mystic Falls team also came from there, as was the birthplace of one of Petrova’s doppelganger. To the Petrova doppelganger, whose name is no longer spoken. Even in the end, it reappears like Bettlejuice.

The trip to Bulgaria did not lead to much. Although she received confirmation that the Travelers had begun to move again, and also learned that there were only three, she found no more than that. However, she came across an interesting document about the origin of the Travelers. It directed Bonnie to the most special place, the Vatican. According to some records, the Travelers were once servants of God, but the power they received from their Lord made them intoxicated and turned away from him. They began to worship Lilith, the ancient witch, the mother of demons, Adam's first wife.  
Bonnie was well aware that when the Catholic Church was born, the Bible had been greatly trimmed. They took out of it everything that did not fit into their ideas of the world and would have been incompatible with the dogmas they had set up. However, the apocryphal documents kept many secrets and some ancient magic, but if the existence of the Travelers was indeed one of the many omissions, then Bonnie was sure the answers were hidden in the Vatican Library.

But in vain she traveled to Rome, finding nothing. She had to slowly give up the search because his visa was about to expire. On the last day, however, something unexpected happened to her. An old priest walked over to her while Bonnie was just trying to translate an ancient Hebrew document. Unfortunately, she couldn't take a photo to send it to Dorian, who would surely have gone faster with it. The priest went to her softly when he spoke, the witch screaming softly in fright.

“I'm sorry if I scared you!” Said the priest with a kind smile.  
“Nothing happened!” Bonnie smiled too.  
“I noticed what books he asked His Holiness for from the library, and that piqued my interest.”

Bonnie looked at the old man in amazement. The watery blue eyes betrayed nothing, but there was something in them that made the witch's hair stand on her back. She could be sure that the gray haired, old man was not a vampire, but there were scary creatures in this world besides them. The priest smiled jovially at the witch.

"Studying the devil is no small responsibility."  
“The devil?” Bonnie was surprised.  
“Oh, it's true. You want to know more about the Travelers.”

Bonnie's mouth remained open. It felt so surreal to be there talking to a priest dressed in reverend about the Travelers in the citadel of the Catholic Church, like a revived painting of Dali.

"Do you know who the Travelers are?"  
The priest laughed softly, causing Bonnie to be knocked out of the water. ‘There was something very wrong with this guy’, she thought.

“I’m not interested in that kind of thing myself, but I’ve always found it interesting what people think of the supernatural. I believe that things like occultism, such as things off the ground, also attract you.”

Bonnie nodded silently. She still didn't understand what the man wanted from him, so she looked for waiting for the priest to see if he was finally moaning out what he wants. She tried to be as polite as she could. The old man's face suddenly became very serious. He leaned quite close to the witch that their faces almost touched. Bonnie could feel the sour smell emanating from his old body, mixed with the stench of nicotine. She felt nauseous, and the relentless feeling that something was wrong with the man only intensified. She really missed his best friend now. When the man spoke again, his voice was dark and ominous.

“Sinorina Bennett, if you’re really interested in the Travelers, you’re researching in the wrong place.” Bonnie froze, but he continued. "The devil keeps the secret of the doppelgangers, and it will lead you to the Travelers." Bonnie's eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat, but the priest hadn't finished yet. “Visit Lucifer Morningstart!”

The old priest then slowly pulled away from the witch, who was sitting on the bench frozen in stone. Before the man left, he squeezed Bonnie's hand hard and smiled honestly at her this time.

"You're blessed, Sinorina Bennett! Find your cherub because you and your friends are in great danger.”

With that, the priest turned on his heel and literally disappeared from Bonnie's eyes. The Bennett witch stood there for minutes as a statue. She just couldn’t believe what she heard, but she knew she had to act, fast. She returned to his apartment in Withmore that evening on an evening flight. She slept for a few hours and told to Elena and her friends that now they would not hear from her for a while, but reassure Him that she was fine and that each of her hairs was intact and healthy. She sent herself a smiling selfie to reassure the others. She quickly described in an email to Alaric what she had learned, but had not yet spoken of the priest. She wanted to find out who (or what) Lucifer Morningstar was and what he could know.

She woke up the next afternoon. She called on his supervisor to pause writing her dissertation for the time being because she had made a very valuable discovery that should follow. Of course, her teacher wasn’t cracked with the joy of having to lack her best PhD student, but she let go of her. After arranging everything in the Study Department, she pulled out her lap top and searched for the term Lucifer Morningstar.

The machine threw a lot of hits. Each image under which the name appeared depicted the same person. An extremely charming and handsome middle-aged man in impeccable attire always in the company of beautiful women. The man reminded her of Him. Well, not that they looked like each other outwardly, but their gaze and smile overwhelmed the same confidence that made one always feel like everything would be fine.

Bonnie found out that Lucifer Morningstar - surprisingly - owns a nightclub called Lux located in downtown Los Angeles. The news ran about the man that he was doing favors but always asking for something in return. “Deal with the devil?” Bonnie thought funny. Convinced that the university would no longer take this path for him, Bonnie walked into the bank to pick up a larger sum. If you need to walk into a nightclub, do so in appropriate attire.

She bought herself a beautiful emerald green satin cocktail dress that perfectly highlighted the color of her eyes. The dress fit perfectly on her body, showing her attractive bulges. When she looked in the mirror in the test booth, she was completely satisfied with herself. If you’re trying to extract information from a man, it doesn’t hurt to have a little female practice.

Ticket purchases went quickly, and since the trip by the plane took only five hours, Bonnie had already arrived in Los Angeles by evening. As she stepped out into the street, she was completely captivated by the hustle and bustle of the big city. There were illuminated signs everywhere, lots of people on the streets, and loud music filtered out from here and there. It seemed to her as if life would never stop here. She checked into a seemingly tidy motel and then quickly changed into something more comfortable.

That's how the Bennett witch got to the stairs of the famous nightclub the next night. The music fell silent and the crowd began to calm down. The lights of the spotlights lit a black piano, in front of which sat a man already familiar from the pictures. After a few warm-up finger exercises, Lucifer started playing Sinnerman and then singing.

The man's voice was simply fabulous. It sounded soft, like the singing of angels. He was completely fascinated by Bonnie, who stepped down the stairs in the direction of the man in an almost selfless state. The witch closed her eyes and just listened to the perfect harmonies that Lucifer had cheated out of his throat and the piano. She was sure she was in the right place.

When Lucifer's play stopped, the enchantment also faded. Bonnie, with her head cleared, headed purposefully towards the man, who stood up from the piano to the huge couch on a podium next to the stage, and the crowd followed, but Bonnie had no trouble barking forward.

Lucifer sat confidently on the couch with crossed legs and arms outstretched. As he looked at Bonnie, she was sure she had a case won. The man gently took her hand toward him and pulled the witch to the couch when he spoke, speaking impeccable English.

"What do you want from me as a beautiful flower as you are?" He pulled Bonnie's hand to his mouth and breathed a soft kiss on her.

At that moment, images flashed in the witch's mind of suffering people, a gray, hot place from which a throne rises, and on top of it sits the man in front of her himself. The blood in her veins cooled and she instinctively wanted to pull her hand back. She suddenly realized who she was facing, and it terrified her a lot. Lucifer Morningstar was indeed the devil himself, and that meant they still failed to destroy the real hell six years ago. It exists, and the lord of it now sits opposite her, smiling mischievously at her. The woman had to rule herself if she really wanted to know something, so she stayed rather calm and tried not to show how scared she was.

Bonnie fluttered her lashes at her flirtatiously and smiled mysteriously at him. She didn't pull her hand back, letting the other gently drop it into his lap.

"Well," the witch began in a buzzing voice. "A mutual acquaintance of mine mentioned your name. I think it is possible that you can provide me with some information on a particularly important matter.”

Lucifer smiled broadly.  
“We'll see what I can do about it!” Bonnie raised an eyebrow curiously.  
Lucifer leaned quite close to him and looked deep into her eyes. Whatever Bonnie tried to get rid of, she couldn't turn her gaze away from the man's warm brown eyes, they were holding her captive.  
"If you need information, I can give it to you, but tell me first, dear, what have you truly desire?"

As the last words left Lucifer's mouth, Bonnie suddenly felt like she had been compelled by a vampire. Images burst into her mind and she could not hold them back. It was as if she wanted to open a door in her soul that she had kept under six padlocks so far. In vain she tried to hold back by force, she was unable to do so. Especially that Lucifer spoke again in the same humming voice as before.

“Don't fight it, my beauty! Tell me, what have you truly desire!

All of Bonnie's resistance dissipated, and the door didn't just open, but slammed out. In that moment, with her spiritual eyes, she saw what she thought she had banished from her thoughts forever. There she lay naked with Him in His old bed. She saw his hands stroking her body, the man kissing her passionately, the two of them 'bodies all intertwined. She saw her completely surrender to… Him, and the words that had come involuntarily on her lips could no longer be held back.  
“Damon," she whispered barely audibly, still staring into Lucifer's face. “Damon Salvatore! I want him! I want to be with him! I want to protect him! I love Damon Salvatore with all my heart!”

Lucifer looked away and took a sip of his drink on the small coffee table in front of the couch. The enchantment broke and Bonnie began to perceive the outside world around her again, but she was very confused. It was like a bubbling lava that the common memories of recent years erupted from her, as if someone were starting to screen a movie in her brain, accelerating events. Everything she had tried to deny until her nails broken, now flooded her soul. She was in an almost shocked state, apparently not noticed by the man sitting opposite her. He smiled cheerfully at Bonnie and wanted to continue the conversation.

“Well, I can't help with love problems. All I can advise you to go to the gentleman and reveal the secret to him. For such a pretty lady, I don’t think anyone could stand up.” Lucifer winked at him flirtatiously.  
“No!” Bonnie shouted.

Lucifer immediately stopped smiling and looked anxiously at the witch.  
“No! You don't understand that! He loves somebody else! He is married and has a family.” Bonnie was tortured with guilt. How could she do that to Elena? What kind of woman can fall in love with her best girlfriend's husband?

But bursting memories gave the answer: it had nothing to do with Elena. Carefully and quietly, Damon nestled himself in her heart. So cautious that Bonnie didn't even notice at first, and then the Gilbert girl wasn't with them, and what's more, she forgot that she had ever fallen in love with Damon. (Though this, they didn't even guess at the time.) They couldn't even be sure they'd ever see their loved ones. There were only two in that world, and Bonnie learned more and more about Damon day by day, week by week, month by month. She had to realize that the two of them weren’t as different as she had thought before, and she suddenly found herself watching his every move, missing him when he wasn’t with her, laughing together, crying together, and for Bonnie, their shared conversations meant the sunlight of the day. She would have given everything to see him happy. That’s why she sacrificed herself… again, that’s why she sacrificed her own happiness… again, because for Damon Salvatore, Elena Gilbert meant happiness, not Bonnie Bennett. And that's been fine until now.

He felt a great anger at Lucifer. It's his fault he can do everything. He did something with her that would make everything much more unbearable from now on.  
\- What did you do to me?!” Bonnie shouted into the man's face. “What did you do to me?!”  
Lucifer's eyes flashed angrily and his face tensed.  
"You'd better not try to tear my head off in front of everyone." The man nodded around the crowd with a forced smile and motioned for them to go a little further. "Look, dear, I'm not really interested in your love drama. I did what I could. I can't play my Dad. Free will is sacred and inviolable. If you have no other wishes, please leave my club.”

Bonnie's head began to clear and she remembered why she had come to Lux. She tried to dispel her tangled feelings, then turned to the devil with a serious face.  
“Please, Mr. Morningstar! It would be very important for us to talk.” Bonnie leaned closer to the man. "I know who you are. I saw it,” Bonnie whispered.  
Lucifer's eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock. Bonnie took his arm and pulled even closer to the man.  
“Look! My name is Bonnie Bennett. I need to know what you know about the Petrova doppelgangers and the Travelers.”  
Lucifer smiled suddenly, and the light of recognition gleamed in his eyes.

“Are you a Bennett witch? Why didn't you start with that? I'm already at your disposal! What did you say? What is the name of the person you there for?”  
Bonnie filtered the answer between her teeth.  
“Damon. Damon Salvatore.”  
“Ah!” Lucifer looked at her like he had made some great discovery. He straightened up, sipped his drink again, which, to tell the truth, would have been good for Bonnie now, and then looked at the witch significantly.

“Let's see!” He pretended to count with his fingers. "A Bennett witch, a Salvatore brother, and a Petrova doppelganger. Well well! History always repeats itself.”

Bonnie lowered her chin slightly and looked at Lucifer questioningly.  
"You don't know the story, do you?" Lucifer asked with a mischievous grin. Bonnie shook her head in denial.  
"In that case," Lucifer stood up, adjusted his tailor-made suit, and held out his hand to Bonnie.  
Only then did the witch realize how tall the man really was. When she accepted the hand extended to her, Lucifer gently helped her up; Bonnie barely reached her chest.  
"It would be better that we continue our conversation in a quieter place."

With that, the Bennett witch and the devil left the crowded clubroom and ended up in the man’s suite. Of course, as one would expect from the owner of a nightclub called Lux, the suite looked lavish. Spacious spaces, all dominated by gold and deep brown. At the end of the room, it was given a huge bar counter instead, which was lined with luxuriously expensive drinks. Lucifer offered Bonnie a seat at the counter, and then she walked behind the counter herself to refill some alcohol for both of them.

“I guess I don't have to introduce myself?” Lucifer began.  
“No. From what you've heard, you know who I am.”  
Lucifer nodded.  
“Let's start at the beginning! What do you know about the Travelers?” Lucifer looked at Bonnie expectantly as the witch took a big sip of her drink and wondered how to get started.  
“I've dealt with them before. I knew their leader.” The witch spoke as if she were telling someone an average day. "I know they're under a curse and that their magic is dark. They need blood for it. They are able to occupy others. Yea, I read that they were once servants of the Lord, but they turned away from him, and then they began to serve Lilith.” She paused at that sentence, then looked at the devil with a waiting look.

Lucifer's features hardened on hearing the name. Bonnie had seen that look before, though not on that face, but somehow, it seemed very familiar to her. Damon looked like that when he heard Katherine's name. Now the witch was waiting. Lucifer drifted into nothingness for a few seconds, then began a story that completely changed Bonnie’s image of the world.

“Do you know the Bible, love?” Bonnie nodded. "Then you should also know that it's just a popular collection of stories about my father's supposed or real deeds." Bonnie grimaced, but nodded in agreement again. "The first person left out of the stories is Lilith, Adam's first wife." Bonnie nodded again, indicating that she knew the story, and then Lucifer continued. “She was a rebel type, just like me. She refused to bow his head to the foolish men; a truly respectable woman. The beauty of the thing is that Lilith didn’t really endure exile well. She became an evil person who crossed over to my Father wherever she could.” Lucifer paused for a moment to sip his drink, then continued.

“Humans were basically created as immortal beings, and magic was part of the world; a gift from my father. With this they were able to control the forces of nature, they became similar to their Lord and Creator, but they made a huge mistake. They wanted to be more powerful than my Father. They fell into the sin of pride, and the gift was taken back from them. My father took immortality away from people, and magic slowly began to emigrate from the world. But there is always a loophole. A few of my brothers and sisters felt sorry for the creatures that had become mortal, they loved them. So, they came down to earth and gave birth to offspring. They became the half-creatures. Half mortal, half angel. The descendants of these people now call themselves Travelers.”

“Go on!” Bonnie urged Lucifer. The story began to become interesting.  
"Lilith's story goes back a bit. She is the mother of the demons of hell. She was doomed to live forever as a half-demon being, sucking the blood of men. But she made a mistake. She fell in love with someone, but his love found no reciprocity. Do you know the story of Cain and Abel?” Lucifer turned suddenly to Bonnie.  
"In which one brother kills the other, because the elder will be jealous of his brother."  
“Oh, yes, Miss Bennett! The Bible describes a much more sophisticated version. The truth is, Lilith fell in love with Abel, but the boy was a great womanizer, so his love was not lasting and left the woman. Lilith seduced Cain in anger, who in turn loved that person too much.”

Bonnie was very familiar with the story. The relationship between the Salvatore brothers and Katherine was a little different, but the point was the same. Go crazy for the older ones to see if you get the younger ones.

“When Cain learned that Lilith was sleeping with both of them, he became indignant. He held his brother to account, they fought, and Cain came out of the brawl victorious, to his loss. My father has stigmatized him forever, and Abel still enjoys the infinite hospitality of hell.  
"What has all this got to do with the Travelers?" Bonnie interrupted impatiently. 

It was late, and she was tired. Although the story seemed captivating, and perhaps even able to use it for her dissertation, their cause was not taken forward by this lavish lecture. She has already realized these connections. She wasn't very surprised that it could all have happened. She fought sirens six years ago and exterminated a devil who now turned out to be really just an imposter. She died even earlier, no longer counting how many times she came back. In Bonnie's view, nothing is impossible.

“Patience, Miss Bennett! I'll get to that right away, too.”

Lucifer's glass emptied. He took off his jacket and unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt, then poured himself another drink. Bonnie felt it forever a reality by the time the man spoke again.  
“When Abel died and my father cursed Cain, Lilith, let’s put it in a way, she was very disappointed. This started an endless war that has been going on for millennia. The characters are always different, the story is the same.”  
Lucifer turned to the witch with an omniscient smile. Bonnie got a little nervous.  
"Would I ask again what this has to do with the Travelers?"  
The man nodded, then continued.

"The Travelers were once servants of nature. They kept their balance, but Lilith didn't let go of it. She again chose two brothers: Silus and Castillus (pronounced Castyjus). The problem was that the bond between the two brothers was stronger than in the case of Cain and Abel. That's why Lilith asked me to help. She persuaded me with evil deceit to use my angelic power to bless a woman. In return, she will be able to free me from the damn job my Father gave me. I went in and for nine months Amara was born. She was an exact copy of Lilith.”

Bonnie spat out the drink in her mouth before Lucifer disapproved of wiping the puddle from the counter with a rag pulled out of the counter.  
“It's a mahogany table! Next time, spit in the bathroom!”  
Bonnie suddenly found no words. She apologized slowly, but she was very surprised by what she had just heard, though she already thought that nothing could surprise her. According to them, she was wrong.

“Can I continue? Lucifer asked with a raised eyebrow. Bonnie nodded with her mouth open. "Amara's only job was to separate the brothers. Even though my father knew of Lilith's further intrigue, he did not intervene. Silus and Castillus, as they used to be, fell in love with the woman. At that time, the Travelers had not yet split in two. The brothers enjoyed great respect among their peers. They were really talented. They were both pure-hearted, quick-witted, handsome young men. Castillus had a very closer friend, a very talented companion, Quetsiyah. They practiced together until Amara appeared on stage. Both brothers fell in love with the girl.  
"I know that," Bonnie interrupted. "I met Quetsiyah myself." It’s thanks to her on The Other Side, and a lot more… - Bonnie just didn’t want to think about the 1994 prison world right now.  
"Do you also know the fate of Castillus?"

Bonnie shook her head in denial.  
"Castillus gave his life for Amara. Quetsiyah used her blood to make the antidote, in return the witch promised her not to kill the girl.”  
The huge suite was filled with silence. Bonnie remembered it. She had heard the story before, but she always knew it from only one point of view, and she didn’t know about Castillus. Silus' true love was Amara, and he wanted to be with her forever, so he persuaded Quetsiyah to make him the spell of immortality. But instead of Silus sharing the finished potion with him, the man betrayed the witch and gave Amara the potion. This is how the first two immortals of the world were created, at least Bonnie had thought so far.

"After Quetsiyah realized what Silus was doing, she completely lost her mind. She persuaded Castillus to sacrifice himself, made the antidote, and then created the Other World. What no one knew, however, was that Lilith herself helped to do the antidote to immortality. By then, her whispers had reached the hearts of the Travelers, and after seeing that immortality was not unattainable, they began to follow Lilith. Quetsiyah, however, regretted her actions. She began to beg her creator to forgive her for the betrayal, and this once intervened with my Father. He didn't really like the Wanderers alienating him, so he blessed Quetsiyah's bloodline and the witches came out of his followers and cursed the Travelers. Witches became guardians of nature. It is their job to keep the balance.

There was a pause again. Bonnie digested what she heard. She simply could not get on the agenda that everything is the work of God. It is literally the work of God. The devil was standing here in front of her, face to face, in a tailor-made Prada suit, but even then she was unable to believe that everything that had happened to them in recent years was connected to the Great Boss. And as she looked at Lucifer, she had to realize that the story wasn't over early.

“Lilith got what she wanted, but not everything went according to plan. Eventually, he did not receive the two brothers because Quetsiyah intervened. This is how she created the doppelgangers. Her own replicas.  
“Wait!” Bonnie interrupted suddenly. “The doppelgangers were created by nature, offsetting the creation of the two immortals.”  
“Hahaha!” Lucifer laughed miserably. “Not quite. As Silus was defeated, Lilith tried to recreate the quarrel between the two brothers. Amara and Silus’s doppelgangers found each other over and over again, but not only did they have a doppelganger.  
Bonnie is completely upset. A picture began to take shape in front of her: If Stefan is Silus's doppelganger and Elena and Katherine belong to Amara, or Lilith, then the third character in the story…  
"Damon," the witch whispered, almost barely audible. “Damon is the doppelganger of Castillus.”  
Lucifer nodded.  
“Presumably, yes. Although almost no record of Castillus remained, as if he had been erased from history, and until 1839 no other was born of him. Castillus was cunning, he could defend himself somewhat. And there is one more thing.”

Lucifer poured another of the golden drink into his glass, then took a sip, then looked at Bonnie with a serious face.  
"Quetsiyah's bloodline, the Bennett bloodline, is protected, so there have always been and will be those who protect it. Lilith’s doppelgangers were born into this world with the sole purpose of separating the two brothers who are capable of defending this bloodline, and the Travelers were given the task of destroying the witches in any case. That would be Lilith's perfect revenge.”

Bonnie couldn't swallow now. The picture came together. Klaus, Elijah, Tatia, and her ancestor, who refused to turn the ancient brothers into a vampire. Stefan, Damon, Katherine and Emily Bennett, who failed to protect the boys, though Bonnie knew well how much she had tried. Then there they are. Of the boys, only Damon lives, Elena is with him, and Bonnie is… Well, she's nowhere to be found. She helps where she can and she is a part of their lives, but she couldn’t do more than that and Stefan is dead now. Huge tears rolled down Bonnie's face. She didn't want to sob in front of a stranger, but she couldn't hold back her tears. She swallowed hard to stifle crying.

Lucifer noticed the tears and offered the woman a handkerchief. Bonnie accepted.  
“What about you?” He asked with a sigh.  
“Stefan and Damon Salvatore changed by Katerina Petrova, about 170 years ago. Unfortunately, my great-grandmother could not prevent it. 160 years later, Katherine returned from a plane of existence created by a visionary named Arcadias (deliberately avoiding the term hell) and wanted to destroy the city, including Elena Gilbert, the last doppelganger. To prevent this, Stefan gave his life, and with my help, we destroyed that other world as well.”

Lucifer nodded. Immersed in his thoughts, he turned the glass, but his face remained inscrutable.  
"So Lilith did it again," Lucifer said for a long time. “The doppelgangers won.”  
“The doppelgangers?” Bonnie raised an eyebrow. In her story, it was just Katherine.  
"I heard in your words that one of the doppelgangers wanted to destroy the other, and one of the brothers sacrificed himself. What if it's not a success? And just say, dear!” Lucifer leaned quite close to Bonnie. "Yet, with whom is your heart's elect?"

Bonnie was shocked.  
"With Elena," he whispered. "Don't you just mean that Elena wants to hurt Damon? That is impossible!”  
Bonnie was willing to sacrifice everything for her best friend, it couldn’t be that she was as evil as Katherine or Lilith.  
"Then you just think about what happened to them, and you'll find out I'm right. The doppelgangers have only one purpose. Separate the brothers and then slowly suffer further throughout their lives.”

Bonnie suddenly slapped Lucifer. The man rubbed his face in surprise, then felt a terrible pain in his head. The witch created blood clots in his brain that re-formed in the devil's head over and over again due to his ability to heal quickly. Lucifer knelt on the bar counter floor, looking like she could be in great pain. Bonnie calmed down in a few seconds, finally stopping torturing the man.  
“Elena is my best friend!” She said in a high voice. "And Damon is my best friend too! I will not allow you crafting to strike a wedge between us. You're the devil, but I'm a Bennett witch.”

Lucifer's eyes flashed an angry red, but Bonnie wasn't scared of him. The witch had already seen countless faces of evil, but the devil had not sensed such a thing. His gaze was the same as Damon's years ago: lost.

“Waow, Miss Bennett! You managed to surprise the devil.” Lucifer smiled smugly again. He gave no sign of wanting to avenge the former act.  
"I have one more question or more, but I would like you to answer that anyway." Lucifer smiled kindly at her, but his eyes remained serious.  
“All right.”  
“Who sent it to me?”  
“An old priest from the Vatican. Why are you interested?”  
“Not important, but thank you.”

Bonnie blew out the air. He learned more about the Wanderers than ever before in his research. No wonder, since now he has received first-hand information. But it didn’t get any closer to what they might want right now.  
"I got to you," Bonnie began cautiously, "because I heard the Travelers began to move again. They can’t get together because of the curse, but because of their ability, they can occupy entire cities, and if they set off again, they get ready for something.”  
Lucifer's body tensed, his forehead frowned and his mouth clenched. Bonnie thought the man was very focused so as not to lose control of himself. The glass the man held in his hand almost shattered in his grip.

"If that's true, you're in great danger, Miss Bennett. I suggest you stay away from your friends until we learn more about this. The ultimate goal of the Travelers is to eliminate the magic of witches. They still work for Lilith. Do other Bennett witches live besides you?  
"I may have a couple of relatives scattered around the world, maybe a cousin or two."  
"But you're a direct descendant of Emily Bennett, aren't you?" Bonnie nodded. 

Lucifer suddenly changed his mood. A wide smile spread across his face and shook hands with Bonnie.  
“I'll help you, Miss Bennett! Together, we find out what that picked-up horde is up to.”  
Bonnie shook hands with Lucifer, a little distrustfully.  
“Still, why are you so willing?” She asked the man.  
"Because I want revenge on Lilith, too, and you're going to help me with that. So, is there a deal?  
“Deal!” The witch nodded.

***

Bonnie spent the next few months in Los Angeles. Not to be striking that she was constantly lounging in Lux, Lucifer offered her a job and accommodation. The devil's library was a treasure mine ready for Bonnie. She could have accumulated so much knowledge here that a whole life would be too little to process. She thought with a sad heart how happy Alaric and Dorian would be to see this. Half their arms would be given away for just one volume.

Lucifer promised Bonnie that she would not reveal the devil's secret yet. She couldn't go back to Mystic Falls, at least not for a while for sure. Lucifer used every possible channel to find out something about the Travelers' plan, but only their route could be roughly measured, and that no longer promised much. All indications were that they wanted to head for Virginia.

One day Bonnie came across a very interesting volume about cherubs. He really liked the legend of the protective angels, which was that God always chooses two of the mortals to protect what is important to mankind. The book mentions two swords that belong to the cherubs, with the help of which their power is raised. The witch thought it was just a fairy tale. The richly illustrated book was more of a fabulous book than an ancient sacred document, and the stories seemed to be written for children. Regardless, Bennett's witch especially liked this easy reading.

During the six months she had spent with Lucifer, Bonnie began to like the devil. There was indeed something in him that reminded her of Damon, and many times she even had the feeling that the two guys were almost one and the same. Tangled family, regretted decisions, women lying at their feet, confident action, so they were similar in many ways. But Lucifer was much more nail-biting, calmer, and better able to hide his feelings. Bonnie was missing something had in Damon. Damon always did everything with full force, the air around him glowing. The older Salvatore brother was temperamental, making fierce, quick decisions that he, of course, regretted many times, but could no longer withdraw or be able to reverse. Lucifer, on the other hand, was cold, slightly measured, and rarely let go of the reins. All his actions were driven by outrage. He had lived as a true hedonist, and ever since he revealed Bonnie's secret, he had always come to her with the need to reveal her heart, and it didn't make the witch any better.

Ever since that door opened (What did it open? Torn off.), Bonnie had been thinking about Damon ever since. She saw him when she closed her eyes in the evenings, lying with him, getting up with him. She saw no chance that the situation would ever get better. She tried to date a bit in LA, but nothing really came together. She had been with a guy for a whole month, but Bonnie didn't feel half of what she was doing for Damon, and the relationship died in the ashes. She missed Mystic Falls very much, but she was aware that she would be unable to face the man for now. And she didn't dare think about how she would be able to look Elena in the eye. She focused more on her duties and work. Sometimes she called her friends on the phone to let them know everything was fine. If she doesn’t, she was afraid Damon would sit on a plane and suddenly show up at Lux. Because Bonnie Bennett is Damon Salvatore’s best friend, and it will stay that way forever, and sooner or later Bonnie will get over it, at least she really hoped.

She had to go back to Whitmore in half a year. She had a lot to do with a lot of material to process, so she always had an excuse to shake off his friends. They seemed busy too, because only Caroline had jumped in on her once. She almost poured out her heart to her other best friend, but rather did not dare. If she told anyone, if she really said it, it would be even more real. But Caroline had known since her visit that something was wrong with Elena, and that affected Damon as well. Bonnie had a very bad feeling about it, but she grasped what Lucifer had said about the doppelgangers. She still considered it out of the question that Elena could hurt Damon with anything.

Why was she still lying in her bed at her home in Mystic Falls now? About a week ago, she finally got the phone she had been waiting for. Lucifer called.  
\- Hello, witchy!” ‘It's typical,’ Bonnie thought. “I have good news and bad news! Which one should I start with?”  
“Start with the bad, Luc!” Bonnie sighed.  
“The Travelers are in Washington. And the good news is that we know what they're up to. Not exactly, but pretty much, almost.  
“Split it out!”  
"Their teeth hurt like doppelganger’s blood again, but for some reason now that is not enough. They also want to bring some kids to the party. Someone's offspring, it's not clear.”  
"Stephanie…," Bonnie breathed. “What do they need?”  
“Well, that's what I couldn't figure out. The child's blood is said to be more valuable than that of his counterparts. Yeah, and they want to perform some weird voodoo ceremony to resurrect someone.”

Bonnie thought of Marcus right away, but his male body was already burned, and his soul god knows where it is. Yes, God knows where it is, but based on what Lucifer said about his father, the Lord doesn’t really interfere in the lives of the creatures He created. ‘The machine rotates, the creator rests.’  
“Thank you, Lucifer! When will the Travelers arrive here?”  
“I do not know. If they move so slowly, it could take maybe two weeks to reach the Whitmore border, a little more to reach Mystic Falls. Goodbye, Bonnie! I have to put it down now!”

After the phone call, Bonnie settled her things and thoughts. She has to go back to Mystic Falls to warn her friends. She has to do everything she can to protect the little girl. Only the Scooby gang knew that Stephanie Salvatore was not an average child. If necessary, stay with her for the rest of her life, no matter how she feels about her father. But she can’t let anything bad happen to her.

***

In the present…

Bonnie was torn from sleep by the alarm clock. On the phone, the display showed half past three. She stretched hard, then went to change. She opted for a short row of jeans and a strapless, swinging top. She picked up Mrs. Cuddles and tied a pink bow to her. This will be the perfect gift for Stephanie. She packed everything in her bag and headed to the new Salvatore - Gilbert residence on the Maple Road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had a very hard time because in a crossover you have to connect two worlds so that neither of them becomes ridiculous. One very important thing. I have no intention of offending anyone in their faith. It’s just a fanfiction that just wants to entertain. There will be more controversial issues in the fanfiction, and a good few will only reflect my opinion. So please don’t take it as an insult to write anything that doesn’t match your opinions.  
> One more thing. Thank you very much, but thank you so much for the comments and kudos so far. You can’t even imagine how good it is for me to read or see these. I try to answer everything.  
> Have a good read and have a nice day!


	4. Being human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First of all the most important thing. I adore you guys. It is really overhelming when i see your coments and Kudos. I really dont expect so much adorable comments so soon. It is help for me to keep going on my way. So, thank you so much. 
> 
> And again, another chapter completed. In there we see Damon's wake ups. We know how does he feel himself after becoming human and knowing his brother diede. And than how is his marriage with Elena Gilbert. (Dont be afraid in this fiction Delena won't happen never ever and Stelena too. ) That was just a warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'The music screamed, towering, collapsing  
> Perfumed, happy, hot, youthful mist  
> And the young men and women with the rosary  
> They look at a black couple in horror.
> 
> "Who are these?" And we enter in a sad silence.  
> We protect our death face with a dark veil  
> And withered, old rose wreaths  
> We scatter silently in the merry-go-round.
> 
> The music dies in the merry hall  
> Winter wind rumbles and the flames fall asleep.  
> We start dancing and crying, shivering  
> Happy mate couples break apart."
> 
> /Endre Ady: With Leda in the Ball/

Chapter 3  


**Being human**

7 years ago

Damon woke up slowly. He hadn't opened his eyes yet. He didn't dare. He was quite sure he was in hell. All his cartilage hurt terribly, and he was tormented by a terrible headache. He was just surrounded by silence. He didn't hear anything. Nothing. Then… Tip, top, tip, top. The muffled noise of footsteps. Someone was walking up and down. The sounds seemed to come from a box or from the low speaker of a bad radio. Again: tip-top, tip-top.

He tried hard to recall what might have happened to him. He held Katherine. He wanted to stab the stake in her heart when the fire of hell appeared, then… Nothing. This is certainly the aftermath of death. He heard something again, but only softly, as if he were under water.  


“He's going to wake up, Bonnie! He has to wake up! It can't be that he too…”  


It's Caroline's voice, but it's so weird. Is she crying? Let's wait! If Caroline is here than he is? Would he have returned as a ghost? He still didn't dare open his eyes and didn't even want to move. He felt lieing on something soft. Then he can be no ghost.

Now someone took his hand. He is certainly not a ghost. The touch reassured him, it was familiar. Soft and warm. But he also sensed this dully, as if someone had put his senses to frugality. Drops. He felt moisture on his face. Drops. Again. Someone touched his face. He could feel something stroking through it. It was so good. It’s sure he can't be in the hell. Nothing can be so good in the hell. He still didn't open his eyes.

“Please, Damon! Wake up! You can't leave me here again, you know! You can't do this to me!”

The voice was familiar. Bonnie. His Bonnie, the annoying little witch whom Damon loved very much. His best friend. Then now he is sure he is not in the hell. If Bonnie is with him, he can't be there. Let's wait! If he is not a ghost and he is not in the hell, then…

And it ringed the bell. His last memory is that someone stabs a needle in his side and then pulls him away from Katherine. No, it can't be. Stefan. No! No! No! His eyes popped.  


Suddenly everything was so vague. He tried to focus, to find out where he was. The place looked familiar, but everything was so pale. It was as if the colors had disappeared from the world. Something was pounding in his chest. Quickly beat. His heart. His heart was pounding so fiercely. He turned to the side and saw Bonnie. The witch sat there beside him with teary eyes and held his hand tightly. Seeing her relieved expression, Damon was now sure he wasn't dead. And Bonnie is alive. For a moment his boundless happiness flooded his soul. Bonnie survived! She hugged him and he was buried in the brown curly curls. He inhaled the scent, which was unparalleled. The scent of flowers blooming in spring, and of the hope.

Then the moment shattered. If he’s here, and so is Bonnie, and his heart is beating so fast and strong, than Stefan… No, it’s not possible. He shouldn't even think about it. He must be here somewhere too, if he gave him the cure, he might be very ill now, but they'll figure something out. Everything can always be solved and here they have Bonnie who can do incredible things. Stefan is alive! This is how it should be!

When he pulled away from the witch, he saw Caroline, too. A sigh of relief broke from the blonde vampire. Her cried eyes revealed that she might have been very worried about something, or very sad. And again…

“Where is Stefan?” He finally moaned. He didn't dare ask that question so much, but he had to find out where his younger brother was.  


Caroline's reaction was surprising and unexpected, once and for all answering Damon's question. The Blondie sobbed and then ran out of the Salvatore boarding house’s living room. Damon suddenly sat up. He was a little dizzy, and his head was still splitting terribly. He turned to face Bonnie, who had just wiped a tear from her face. Damon looked at her with a desperate face.  


“Bonnie!” He whispered barely audibly. “Where is Stefan?” He swallowed hard. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer. "Where's my brother, Bon?"

The man felt his eyes fill with hot tears. The witch squeezed his hand, then pulled it all the way close to her. She looked deep into her friend's eyes and answered in a trembling voice.

“Damon, you have to be very strong now!” When he heard the words, the older Salvatore began to shake his head, like he didn't want to hear the next words.

"Stefan…," Bonnie continued. “Stefan… “The witch sighed deeply and words fell out of her that Damon never wanted to hear. “Stefan is dead!”

"No." The man barely audibly breathed the words. "It's not possible... he's not." He felt his body flood with grief. Everything came together. Stefan sacrificed himself for him and for Elena. Again.

He couldn't hold back his tears. For long seconds he just stared at the Bennett witch, but he didn't see her, but Stefan. He sees his younger brother as a baby, as he tells him bedtime story, and then as a child, as they hide and seek together, as a teenager, as he says goodbye to him when Damon prepared for the Confederate Army. Stefan's face when they saw each other again. Then Stefan with Katherine.

“Nooooo!” He shouted in pain.  


Bonnie tried to calm down him. She caressed his face and whispered softly reassuring words to him, but they didn't penetrate to Damon's consciousness. Emptiness, pain, mourning. Everything has become meaningless. As a rag doll, he let Bonnie hugging him, faintly sensing the woman's sobs, and finally a cry burst out of him. He let the all-consuming torment flood his soul.

***

For the next few days, Damon did nothing. He sat in his room or in the living room of the Salvatore boarding house. He tried not to think about anything and anyone. He couldn't turn it off anymore, though he really wanted to. He had no idea how to deal with grief as a human. He didn't want to feel anything.

Caroline and Bonnie taking care of him. Alaric looked in once and expressed his condolence miserably (at least according to Damon). Damon told him something, but he was unaware of his actions. The two women, on the other hand, were with him every single day. Bonnie in the morning, Caroline in the afternoon. They fed him, comforted him, but everything seemed useless. Damon didn't want to talk to anyone. He was in a dark hole from which he saw no way out.

The alcohol eased his pain somewhat, but after half a bottle of bourbon he was starting to feel bad, even though six bottles hadn't tickled him before. Oh well. He became human. He didn't dare think about what would happen to Elena. By the time the girl wakes up, he will probably be gray haired, old man. This is not exactly the happy life Damon intended for themselves. He tried to recall her face to see if the image of his love would help relieve the pain in his heart.

But he didn't feel the same anymore. The insane obsession that had caused so many issues now seemed as distant as an old memory. You know there’s someone you felt something for, but what you feel now isn’t the same anymore. And that made Damon very terrified. For 145 years, Damon Salvatore was defined by his obsessive love for Katherine Pierce, and then for the past eight years, his seemingly endless longing for Elena Gilbert. He only loved these two women all his life.

An annoying little voice in his head, Stefan's voice, always said, "Are you sure about this, Damon?" Oh yeah. The sound could not be suppressed. He couldn’t now. There was someone else, but he took care of her. Not for yourself, but for the other. Damon made a promise he couldn't break, so he made a decision he hadn't regretted since. The voice said again, ‘Are you sure about this, Damon?’ And the answer was: No, not at all, but if he wanted to, he couldn't do it back and then he drank to boot himself.

He finally woke up from the agony after a week. Caroline and Bonnie were talking in the kitchen, and Damon was lying pretending to sleep on the couch.  


"It can't go on like this, Bonnie!" She heard Caroline's irritated voice. “We have to do something!”  


He also heard the little witch sigh. He imagined the Bennett girl rotating her cerebral cortex.  


“I'm waking up Elena!”

Silence. Damon's brain, on the other hand, started. Elena and Bonnie are linked. Elena can only wake up when Bonnie dies. Kai, that psychopathic animal, said there was no loophole, no magic. This equates to Bon-Bon getting ready for some madness again, which may be that…

“No!” Damon screamed at the two surprised women. “I will not let… Whatever you plan, you can’t do it!”  


Caroline swallowed hard. He looked alternately at Bonnie and Damon. Bennett's witch frowned at the older Salvatore. She said nothing, just stood up and walked in front of the man. She could barely reach his chest.  


“Calm down, Damon!” She finally said. She spoke with the same emphasis as is customary for hysterical children. He grabbed the man's two hands and then squeezed them encouragingly.

"Trust me! She said softer now. "I know what I'm doing! I got a lot stronger and I know the solution. Just trust me!  


And Damon calmed down slowly but surely. He didn't know what Bennett's witches were, but he always trusted them, even if they just wanted to kill him.

A little later, Caroline persuaded them to go together to the Salvatore crypt to visit Stefan's resting place. Damon and Blondie stood close together. The man knew that the woman's grief was at least as deep as his own. The southern sunlight filtered softly.

**Stefan Salvatore  
was born in 1846  
Brother - Husband - Friend  
Rest in peace!"**

This inscription was engraved on it. Damon stroked the cool marble gently. With a smile on his face, he thought his brother might have found the coveted peace.  


“Do you think it exists?” He asked Caroline.  


His sister-in-law looked at him, then turned to the inscription again.  


“The peace?” She asked back. Then she paused, then nodded. “I think yes.” She looked at Damon again.  


"We'll meet him again," she said, clasping their hands with Damon.

Memories burst into the mind of the elder Salvatore brother. Horrors he did with his friends. The things he could no longer do back, and the memory of the torturous hell.  


"You will meet him," he said with complete conviction. “I'm going through the other door.” He sighed deeply. “For me, they'll probably reopen hell.”  


Then he turned to Caroline. Gentleness and endless love flowed from the woman's blue eyes, which reassured Damon as well. He remembered how much the blonde vampire had done for him in the last few days, and he was very grateful to her for that. The girl whom their circle of acquaintances practically used as a blood bank was now standing next to him, and Damon felt nothing from her but love.  


“Don't be so sure!”

The words that left Caroline's mouth filled Damon's heart with endless warmth. Caroline was the second person in his life to get real shrift. At that moment, he knew he had locked her in her heart forever, and he would do anything to redeem his friends for everything.

Damon walked out the entrance to the crypt, and when he exited, he even held his breath for a moment. Elena stood a few feet across from him and Bonnie next to her. He didn't know which one they would be happier with. Really not. He looked at Elena's lovely face and something moved in him. The feeling wasn’t as intense as he expected early on, but it was there. He walked towards the girl with that sure consciousness, and got her on his lap, then kissed her, that their life together would be happy and complete.

***

_Nowadays…_

A dense mist rose from the shower enclosure surrounding the man and woman. The water was almost hot, but the pair didn’t care about it, they were busy with each other.

Damon digged passionately into her shoulder-length, wavy brown hair, then gently kissed her shoulders, neck, and finally her soft lips. With his hands, he gently caressed his partner's beautiful velvety golden-brown skin. The man heard the woman's fierce heartbeat as blood raced wildly in excitement in the other's body. He gently felt the striker on the graceful neck as he pulled the slender body tightly with his other hand.

She suited him so perfectly. Damon wanted nothing more than to merge with her in every possible way. He aspired desperately to her blood.  


During the beauty caressed Damon's smooth, muscular chest with one hand and dug into the man's raven-black hair with the other. She bit his neck with her lips. She did it so fiercely that Damon's blood squealed, but he didn't mind. His partner whispered in his ear then.

“Do it, Damon!”  


It wasn’t had to say that twice for him. The vampire's eyes turned an angry red, and the blood vessels around his eyes filled with blood. His gums pulled up as long, needle-pointed canines emerged from his mouth.

He leaned over her shoulder and plunged the pointed canines as gently as he could into the other’s shoulder. He faintly sensed that his partner had also bitten into him, but the taste of her blood drew him into complete ecstasy. It was a heady feeling for him to taste the other, and the knowledge that his blood was being taken heated up his thirst even more.

After a few seconds, Damon stopped drinking blood and breathed tiny, delicate kisses to the wound caused by his bite. The wound healed quickly as the other sipped from his blood as well.  


She wrapped her legs around him even tighter, and Damon couldn't take it anymore. With a light gesture, he picked up the perfect body, then pressed it against the wall of the shower cabin, then they became one.

Then Damon heard an annoying voice. Bip… bip… bip. With a tired groan, irritably turned off the alarm clock, whose blue LED display showed 6:00. He was still under the influence of the dream, and apparently his body had not yet forgotten it. Accompanied by a repeated soft moan, he worked himself up on the huge double bed and pressed his head to the backrest with a tormented face.

He thought of his dream. It was “shower sex” now. But two days ago, on the kitchen floor he did the same, and then a week ago in his old bedroom. The dream is always the same. With an unknown woman they suck each other’s blood while making passionate love. He had never seen the other's face, but he was sure of one thing. The mysterious beauty in her dreams is not his wife. When he thought about it, he had a terrible guilt. Not just because of sex, but also because of a craving for blood. So, it was like cheating Elena twice.

Damon looked at his wife next to him. The woman pulled the blanket over her head; apparently, she didn't want to get up yet. Her husband would have preferred to stroke her. He would wake him up and then make the dream come true with her. For this image, a certain half-smile appeared on Damon's face that had become his trademark over the years. Slightly mischievous, slightly mocking and animalistic sexy. Then the smile subsided and, accompanied by a resigning sigh, placed his hand on the back of his neck.

Whatever he had tried in the last two months (a romantic dinner, a weekend for two, a series of stalker attacks, the “naked guy” trick), Elena rejected all of his approach. Damon was completely confused at first, then got frustrated, then got into a fight, and finally resigned. He felt like a volcano about to erupt, but there was nothing he could do about it. (Apart from the obvious thing only the boys know.) What could be the problem? Damon received the following excuses, ‘I'm working now, honey!’ ‘Today? I’m so tired!’ ’Don’t be ridiculous, Damon! I have a curse.’ And best of all, ‘My head hurts so much now. This new research project is a concern.’ The man tried to be patient, an understanding husband, but something was very wrong between the two of them.

For the past seven years, the elder Salvatore has lived a very happy life. He got everything he ever wanted. Elena was him, and although at first it was hard to overcome the fact that his feelings for his wife were not exactly as she expected, over time he fell in love with her again and again. His friends were with him. By the way, he had friends, I mean real ones, I mean him, Damon Salvatore. At first there was Bonnie, who was closest to Damon's heart (sometimes a little closer than Elena), then Caroline. The man looked at her like his sister (and sometimes as if she were a little like his mother), eventually Alaric, who became the “dad” of their small team. Although everyone thought Doc Saltzman was the head of the Scooby gang (it’s still nice that Damon invented it), the final decisions were usually made by Damon. They were the men of Damon Salvatore. The only flaw of the thing was that Elena didn't always know everything. She withdrew from the team and really didn’t like the night hunts or “educating” the “problem” students. His wife wanted to live a completely supernatural free life, but Damon didn’t. If he already has to live as a human being, he should have at least that much fun and so he can repay the world for all the shit he did before. That's why he handed over the old Salvatore boarding house to Caroline and Alaric. It was just deaf dumb that Stefan would want that too. Stefan, if he could, would have spent his whole life in that house. But he couldn't because he was dead.

But what made Damon's life really happy was his daughter. The birth of Stephanie Lillian Salvatore is the most amazing thing that has ever happened to him. As soon as he saw the tiny package the midwife had given to him, he immediately fell in love with her. It was then that he felt for the first time that it was worthwhile to become human, and since then, when nostalgia strikes, all he has to do is think of Steph and he already sees everything in a better color. Today everything will be about his little girl. Everything has to be perfect, after all, one doesn’t get five years old every day. And today he can see Bonnie again.

There was a strange excitement at the thought. He hasn't seen his friend in a long time, and he'll be sure to have a word or two for her. He had felt many times over the past year that he would rather suffocate the annoying, hypocrite little witch with a spoon in every juice for not even looking at them (the selfies, and the short phone conversations didn't really satisfy Damon), but above all, he was terribly worried about Bonnie. If he sees he unwrap her neck for sure. No, he hugs her first, then unwraps her neck. Damon made sure they had a great day ahead of them. 

He took one last look at Elena, who sighed steadily, signaling that she had fallen back asleep. Damon started his hand to stroke his wife's back, but then he changed his mind and quickly got out of bed. As he got to his feet, a sharp pain shot through his back. It’s inherent in human life that when you work a lot you get tired and sooner or later you also feel parts of your body that you didn’t even know existed, and Damon has been working a lot lately. Smiling, he always thought of swapping his thirst for work mania and the compulsion to clean. However, he no longer wanted to bite the throat of every human being who had just made him nervous (or not always), and he definitely enjoyed it.

He walked out into the bathroom and let the water in the shower. As the lukewarm water dripped down his muscular, slender body, the images of the previous dream came back, along with the thirst for blood. Damon didn't understand that how this was possible, but he really didn't like things. The memory was still faint when he last felt this kind of desire, but he shouldn't have even thought about it, ever. He arranged it. It took an effort beyond his power, but he did. Now, however, the feeling, that torturous longing for the blood of another human being burst upon him in waves and he was unable to control it. He set the water temperature a little colder.

Sexual frustration even contributed to this, which didn’t help his “little problem”. If Elena were finally willing to live sexual life with him, maybe his worries would be solved. However, he saw no chance of that. In the last two months, he had become increasingly distant from the woman. Day by day, a very bad feeling nestled in his brain: Elena is a stranger for him. It was as if she wasn't the same woman he'd fallen in love with for about fifteen years. They both changed a lot. Elena first became a vampire, then a human again, then went into a coma for a long time, and woke up to the fact that Damon had become a human, and the first great love of his life had died. However, it takes out everybody. 

But the man has also changed, and it wasn’t specifically Elena who was the cause, but rather Bonnie Bennett. Sure, sure. Although Elena initiated the change in him, it was Bonnie who really changed Damon Salvatore’s critical attitude toward the world of mortals. She became his friend and trusted him unconditionally. The witch had no expectations of him, never wanted to change or apologize to him. If Damon acted like an asshole, she would stand in front of him and say he was a bastard. If he was kind, Bonnie reciprocated, if he wanted to kill, then depending on the situation, the witch either helped him or stopped him. The Bennett witch was the first true human bond for him which is not out of a crazy love, but out of respect, admiration, esteem, and sincere faith in the other.

As these thoughts ran through Damon's mind, he involuntarily looked at his palm. There was no trace of the old scar in one hundred and sixty years, but the memory of it was there. A voice in his head suddenly said, ‘Remember, young Salvatore!’ It wasn’t the “evil Stefan” voice that drove Damon crazy at times. No, he haven't heard that sound in a long time. Emily Bennett's words broke out, but he didn't really understand why. At the same time while he is showering. This is not very good. 

After the momentary shock, he immediately shut off the water. He grabbed a towel from the dryer and wrapped it around his waist. He went to the long mirror above the sink. Damon was a vain vampire and an even vain man. He really liked what he saw in the mirror. Strictly speaking, when he resumed his human life, he was twenty-five years old, which means that he is now thirty-two. The magpie legs had already stabilized around his eyes, his laughing wrinkles had appeared here and there, and he must have search his gray hairs in his raven-black hair for a while, but he still looked amazingly sexy anyway. Thanks to Alaric’s workouts, Damon’s body was well maintained. He ran regularly, do combat sport, and drained his excess energy by packing in the Grill or doing chores. His shoulders were wider and his upper arms were muscular, with palpable cubes on his belly, but he retained his thin, pretty shape. It was more fibrous than kneaded. He was far from his vampire power, but he had no problem moving a fifty-pound bag from one place to another. He winked contentedly at his reflection, then touched his face to see how unshaven he was. He decided it was time to shave tomorrow.

By the time he returned to the room, Elena had just woken up. Leaning against the door jamb, he watched with her arms folded as she stretched and yawned mightily. Maybe I’ll be lucky now, the thought ran through Damon’s mind, and he was already on the bed with two steps away. He sank down next to his wife, then, accompanied by a seductive smile, leaned over Elena's face to give her a hot, passionate kiss. His mood subsided as soon as the woman turned away from him.

“Not now, honey!” She began making objections. “I haven't brushed my teeth yet. My mouth is so stinky.”  


Damon's eyebrows ran to his forehead.  


“What?!”  


She looked at him with a pitiful look.  


"But you can get a kiss," she pressed a running kiss to Damon's cheek with a grin.

It shouldn't have done that now. Damon was frustrated and nervous, and that now turned to rage. His crystal-blue eyes darkened, his eyebrows frowned, and his muscles tightened on his face.

“That's a lot now!” He said in a slightly louder voice. "Two months… Two months ago, I've been trying my best to squeeze a tiny little gentle female hug out of you, but nothing!"  


“Don't start this now!” Elena got upset from the bed irritated as Damon followed her toward the bath. His determination to make it a perfect day was shattered into nothingness.  


“I do, I'm starting!” The man's voice was tense. "You can't turn your back on me every single time I try to talk to you."  


“No, Damon!” Elena suddenly turned to face her husband, an angry and tired expression on her face. "You never want to talk; you want to quarrel!"  


“Really?” Damon raised an eyebrow. “Still, what do you expect from me? Am I waiting patiently until you are finally willing to talk to me or touch me at all?”

Damon took a deep breath now. He almost shouted, though he was very concentrated to stay calm, but he didn't go. There is something wrong with his wife and he really wanted to know what it was. He loved her and fought for her for so many years. He didn't want everything they had sacrificed, everything Damon had given up, to be wasted now. Then nothing would make sense.  


"Elena, you are never at home, you work all the time, you exclude everyone around you. Yet when was the last time you talked to Caroline?”  


She looked at him blankly.

“How's Caroline coming here now?"  


“She's one of your best friends! And you've barely visited her in a month!”  


“I see you do it for me.” Elena's voice was accusing, as if Damon had done something wrong.

Damon stood in the bathroom door, quite confused. He didn't understand it all. Of course, he goes over to Caroline regularly, as the twins and Steph get along very well. In fact, her sister-in-law helps them a lot when there’s no one to take care of the little girl. Wouldn't his wife like that?

"You're not happy about Steph going to the boarding school regularly, are you?"

It wasn’t really a question because Damon knew the answer. Oh yes! Elena Gilbert-Salvatore was very unhappy that her daughter was a regular guest at an educational institution called Salvatore Boarding School for Gifted Youth, even though Damon said the little girl could not have been safer anywhere else. Alaric, Caroline and Dorian watched the little girl's every move. The students were aware that Stephanie was untouchable and would not have risked raging the wrath of the legendary Damon Salvatore. And then Stephanie wasn’t an average kid, but only the Scooby gang knew about it; they thought it better not to tell her mother about the strange phenomena about Steph. None of them were aware of what abilities his daughter possessed, so they kept it a secret. But now, Damon didn't understand his wife at all, and he voiced that. Also, a little more powerful than he wanted.

"Yet what right do you question how I rear our daughter? Do you have any idea how much she misses you? Steph cried nights because you weren't by her side. She doesn't even ask where you are anymore! And you were afraid of Caroline?”

Damon shook his head resignedly, and Elena's face shed with tears.  


“I'm working, Damon!” She shouted back. "You may not have noticed, but my career is important to me. I want to create a better future for our daughter.”  


"What better future are you talking about, Elena?" Damon was screaming now, unable to contain his anger. “We have a beautiful life. I thought you were happy with me that it satisfied you, but it didn’t.” Damon waved. “You and your career; I never thought this would be more important to you than I or our family.” There was bitterness and remorse in the last sentence. Probably the other noticed this.  


There was a sad expression on Elena's face. She shook her head and turned away from Damon.  


"You're talking about a beautiful life, but how long will it last? As long as you make friends with werewolves, vampires, and witches, our happy lives can be shattered at any time.”

It cut sy to the quick for Damon. With wide eyes, he looked uncomprehending at his wife, whom he loved very much, for whom he had gone to the end, and for whom he had suffered so much. The Scooby gang meant family to the older Salvatore brother, which he never had. His mother “died” early, his father kept them in terror. For more than a century and a half, only Stefan had him, and his friends mean the connection to him. He couldn’t help but take care of them, even if it sounded so ridiculous now that Damon was “just” a simple mortal. The fact that Elena didn't understand it even after so many years completely scalded Damon.

When he looked into his wife's eyes again, he saw nothing but a stranger. Yes, they have become stranger for each other; Damon didn't understand her, and Elena didn't understand Damon. Then the little "evil Stefan" voice spoke in his head, ‘I told you you'll regret it.’

The memory came into Damon's mind when Stefan at Elena's request, poked into his brain to show him how different life would be as a human being. He had just planned to take the cure with the love of his life before Jo and Alaric’s wedding wich turned into a bloodthirsty wedding. Stefan took him to an average suburb. He showed him how different his life would be if he became human. Gray weekdays will grind them up and Damon will regret his decision. Stefan was right, but they weren't ground by the gray ordinary, not even by Damon, since he had learned to cook. They just didn't fit together. They both wanted something different from life from the beginning. He was blind to not noticing this so far.

Damon sighed a big, then lowered his chin. When he spoke, his voice was soft and kind.  


"Elena, I want you to understand that they are important to me. The whole school, Rick, Caroline, Dorian, Bonnie, and sometimes even Donovan, mean a lot to me. That's all you need to understand!”  


She turned her warm brown gaze to him and gently caressed her husband's face.  


“I understand, Damon! But what if you have to choose between your family and them? What if the supernatural reverses our lives? Who are you going to sacrifice?”

The words of the woman penetrated Damon's heart like a sharp dagger. His facial muscles hardened, coldness moved into his eyes; he straightened up, took Elena's hand, then yanked him tightly to himself. They were so close together that the tip of their noses almost touched, but the man felt nothing but concentrated contempt. Now he saw Elena as Katherine: selfish and petty.

“Sacrifice? What do you know about the sacrifice?” Damon filtered the words between his teeth and had to hold himself back so as not to hit the woman in front of him. "You have no idea what sacrifices they made for you!" Damon suddenly pushed Elena away from himself.

The moment Bonnie jerked him into the light and threw the key to their deliverance into his hands was reminiscent of his eyes. The witch had severe wounds that she almost died of, but instead of letting heal herself, she sent Damon home to Elena. Then another picture: Bonnie kneels in front of her and tells her that Stefan has sacrificed himself to save Elena. Then another, a much older one: Damon get drink Abby Bennett with his blood, then snaps her neck, and there was the despair in Bonnie's eyes, which penetrated Damon's heart. That's just to save Elena. Everyone made sacrifices for Elena because the fragile Elena Gilbert could not bear the life around her.

“Go! I think you're going to work?” Damon's voice was dark and dismissive. “When the party is over, we'll discuss everything.”

Elena nodded, struggling with tears, then closed the door on herself. Damon could still hear the woman sobbing, but he wasn't impressed. Yes, Elena didn't understand him, and never will.

Damon got dressed and went down to the kitchen to make breakfast. The house where they lived was the old Gilbert house that Damon had built based on the original blueprints. He made a change or two in the old plans. For example, the living room and kitchen have become twice as large as before. Panoramic windows surrounded the spacious room, and the kitchen opened onto a terrace that led to the back garden. Damon enjoyed the sunlight and was already used to the large spaces.

The kitchen was equipped for the 21st century, while the house was run by a Smart Home program called Alexa. By the time Damon reached the kitchen, the fresh coffee was already brewed. The fridge loudly signaled that the milk was running out soon, and the man had already instructed the machine to order the intended quantity.

As he prepared the ingredients, he looked up Caroline's phone number, and after a brief instruction, the phone had already dialed the number. Damon set it down on the counter and then turned up the device so he could make pancakes for breakfast. It calmed him down a bit.

The phone rang four times, and a sleepy, irritated voice spoke, and that voice brought a mischievous smile to Damon's face.

“Hello!”  


“Good morning, Blondie!”  


“Damon, for God's sake! Look at the clock!”  


"The early bird…," Damon teased. “Today is the big day! Get out of bed and pressure to take action!”  


“It's only half past six.” Judging by the voice, Caroline still didn't want to recover.  


“No, Blondie! It's been half past six! If I remember correctly, you said, "Leave it, Damon!" I'll take care of everything, Damon! I'll do everything what you need, Damon!”  


Damon could almost see his sister-in-law rolling his eyes.  


"I'm a vampire, I do everything at super speed. Why are you so excited?”  


Damon took a short breath, as if to say something, then changed his mind.  


“Forget it, Care! I just want everything to go fleet.”  


There was silence for a second at the end of the line.  


"You fought," Caroline said.  


"Yes," Damon replied reluctantly.  


“How many times in this week?”  


“What day is today? Friday? Then it was the first. I'm good, huh?”  


Caroline replied with a growl.  


“What did she do again?”  


“Nothing. Forget it!” Damon sighed. “What did you do?”  


“If you don't want to talk about it…”  


“No, Caroline, I don't want to! What did you do?”  


"I'm going through," Caroline said in an intolerant voice. "I'll get myself together, start the twins, talk to Alaric, and I'll be there, say, at half past eleven." By then, everything will be fine.”

"Okay," he agreed. “If you get here, I'll go to the Grill. I'll gather what I need. Cake?”  


“Pipe.”  


“Clown?”  


“Pipe.”  


“Bouncing castle?”  


“They come to equip at eleven.”  


“Piňatas?  


“They're done.”  


“The extra surprise?”  


“We taught the witches.”  


“You’re an angel Caroline.”

The answer to this came accompanied by a beaded laugh. Damon even for a moment forgot how angry he was. Elena can't expect him to give it all up.

“Thank you very much for everything! I have to put it down now.”  


“Wait! What about Bonnie?”  


Damon's heartbeat missed a beat. What about Bonnie? Didn't she answer back? Did something go wrong?  


“Why?” He tried to force calm into his voice. “I know she'll be here.”  


Of course, Caroline spotted it.  


"No need to worry, I just wanted to know what time she was coming. I bought her a welcome gift. She will be there for it!”

Damon rolled his eyes. If Caroline bought a sexy dress or a pair of branded shoes again, Bonnie won’t really get there.  


“We haven't fixed anything yet. I'll ask Elena to send her a message.”  


“Will Elena be home?”  


"No," came the short, concise answer.  


“But today is Steph's birthday!”

For this slightly irritated exclamation, Elena reached the kitchen. She barely dared to look at her husband, but angrily began to fix the phone display. Damon just gave her a running look. He began to soften for her.

“I welcome to you too, Caroline!” Elena said with some mocking overtones.  


“Oh! Hello Elena! We just want to ask you to ask Bonnie when she comes.”  


“All right.”  


Damon picked up the phone and turned off the speakerphone. He didn't want the two women to start arguing with each other. This has also happened often lately.  


“All right, Care Bear! The rest will be discussed!” He hung up without waiting for an answer.

Damon looked at his wife with a serious face. He had no idea what to tell him.  


“Listen, Elena!” He finally began. “I didn't mean to be so rude, you know…”  


She raised her hand defensively, then walked to the front door.  


“Leave it, Damon! Then, when the guests are gone, we'll talk!” Than she walked out the door.

Damon even baked a few pancakes. He put the last one aside. He took a plate from the kitchen cabinet with a hinged door, then carefully placed the pancakes aside. He took a box of blueberries and a whipped cream out of the fridge. He made the blueberries a smiling face on the pancakes, and with the whipped cream he blew vampire teeth on both sides of the blueberry mouth. When the masterpiece was finished, Damon smiled contentedly.

"It will be the perfect welcome gift," he said to himself.  


He covered the vampcake, finally putting them in the fridge, hoping that by the time Bonnie arrives, the foam won’t collapse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the question is allways: how do you like it or how dont you like it? You can leave a comment or send a kudo, or send me an e-mail, or anything else:) Still this is my favourite chapter. I love Damon so much. So now everybody loves Damon. I thought that he suffered so much in the show. So i dont wanna hurt him. He is my favourite caracter type, tha bad guy who isnt so bad, technically he is the good guy. He allways saved the day with Bonnie anyway.  
> I really hope you will enjoy my Damon. Writing this caracter is really hard for me. Especially his conversations because he has a good humor. I think that Ian Somerhalder's play is helped for it so much. He made this caracter for more loveable. I apologize for the grammer. Im trying fix everything, but english is not my mother language, so this is pretty hard for me, but i enjoy to translate soo much. Okey, I finish this. Have a nice reading:)  
> PS.: The citatums are translated by the google translater and with my help.They are not original translations. All of them will be famous hungarian poems. If you will be intrested you can check this poems' original translations on the internet.


	5. Dr. Elena Gilbert-Salvatore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My dear readers! Thank you for your words of appreciation so far. They mean a lot to me. I try to upload the chapters quickly, but translating is more of a challenge than I thought.  
> In this chapter, we can gain insight into Damon and Elena’s marriage through Elena’s eyes. And Elena's dirty little secret comes to light. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> someone walks on the hill of trees  
> who lights and extinguishes your star  
> only who is not afraid of hope  
> he was finally left alone
> 
> I'm afraid I'm still hoping  
> it is the retaining mercy  
> the caring fear  
> accompanied me on my journey so far
> 
> someone walks on the hill of trees  
> wonder when I fall  
> will it still ignite mine  
> fire a new star
> 
> or me alone  
> it compresses into a darkening core  
> and it does not flash my soul  
> on a nascent star
> 
> someone walks on the hill of trees  
> they say Mr. in every dust  
> they say it is hope itself  
> they say fear itself
> 
> /Sándor Kányádi: Someone walks of the hill of the trees.../

Chapter 4

**Dr. Elena Gilbert – Salvatore**

Elena angrily snuggled into the driver's seat of the white colored Tesla; she started the engine and then headed for her work. Along the way, she cursed to herself and cursed a hundred times the minute she said yes to the mysterious Triad Company.

They quarreled with Damon again. In the last two months, almost no weeks had passed without quarreling, but what was most terrible for the woman was that her husband could not do it.

As she drove out onto the main road, she wiped a fat tear from her face. She tried to concentrate on the road and increased the car speed to see if she could leave Mystic Falls behind sooner. She wanted to shake off her worries, but she remembered how Damon looked and wanted to cry again.

That contempt on the man's face was all too familiar to Elena. Damon Salvatore looked at only someone like this: Katherine Pierce. She shuddered at the thought of her husband seeing her doppelganger in her for the first time in their lives. How did they get here? How could she let that happen?

Elena was tormented by terrible guilt. It hadn't been two months since the experiments began she couldn't look her husband in the eye. How could she tell him exactly what she was doing? She would cause him pain that their marriage would no longer be able to endure. She knew full well that Damon was still attracted to the supernatural. He couldn't leave his old life completely, even though Elena wanted to move on. She was tormented by terrible nightmares, in which Damon lay with a bitten throat, frozen in blood, where she found Stephanie dead in her crib.

They should have hide. Damon has the cure in his body, so any vampire who wants to heal out from vampirism can find them at any time, and Elena was furious that her husband didn’t care at all, in fact. His answer has always been that the Scooby gang (how ridiculous a name is) protects him, and as long as Bonnie is by their side, they can’t get in trouble.

Bonnie, Elena thought bitterly. Everything is her fault. The witch lured Damon back into the supernatural world. Sometimes, despite all her efforts, Elena was very angry with her best girlfriend. However, this made her guilty again, mainly because she often became envious of the relationship between Damon and Bonnie. They both became like peas and peel. She watched the two of them communicate many times, and at that time she always had the feeling that Damon understood the witch better than her; as if they had read each other's thoughts. She was sure that there was nothing more than a very close friendship between her husband and her best girlfriend, they didn’t really give a sign of that, but she was still disturbed by their relationship and the relationship with the whole band.

If she wanted to be honest with herself, after all they had been through, Elena just wanted Damon for herself. They missed so much time while she was lying in a magical coma that she just wanted to be with him. That’s why they moved from Mystic Falls, and the year and a half they spent in Whitmore was heaven for themself, at least for Elena. They lived a simple, average life. They had no problem with anything but paying bills, exams, and when or who would take out the trash.

But Bonnie came back, and her dreams of an average life shattered in one fell swoop. Elena was surprised to see how enthusiastically Damon had thrown himself back into the world of supernatural mysteries. Then they had their first big quarrel.

Elena lay nervously in the bedroom of their apartment in Whitmore. She could not sleep; she was very worried about Damon. It could have been half past two in the morning when the man got home with a slightly groping, wide smile on his face. She immediately got out of bed to see if he was okay. Damon stank of bourbon and his T-shirt was bloody.

“What happened? "That was Elena's first question. She looked anxiously at the man's clothing.

Damon just grinned, then walked toward Elena. He held her face in two palms and the Damon Salvatore's confident smile appeared on his face.

“Don't worry, honey! Mystery solved; the Scooby gang excelled again.”

He wanted to kiss her, but Elena turned her head and the other tugged on his mouth.

“What now?” Damon turned to the fridge. “Aren't you glad that I came home?”

"How do you look like, Damon?" Elena pointed to the bloody T-shirt. Her voice was irritated and terrified.

The man looked at himself and then waved.

“Yeah, is that it? Nothing! We hooked our mustaches to a werewolf.”

“Elena's eyes widened.”

“Did you fight a werewolf?”

Damon began to grin again.

“Yes, but I won.”

A certain confident smile appeared on his face again. He walked over to Elena to hug her, but she pushed him away.

“Still, how?” Elena ran nervously into her hair. "How did you imagine to putting yourself in such danger?" She almost shouted and a smile faded from Damon's face.

“I told you not to worry!” His voice changed to a more nervous tone. “I didn't do it alone. Caroline and Bonnie were there with me.”

“What?” Elena stared angrily at the older Salvatore brother. “You dragged them in too!?”

Damon's eyebrows jumped to his forehead.

“Did I drag them in? They volunteered! It was Bonnie who asked me to help.”

Elena pursed her lips. She just didn't want to believe what she heard. Her two best girlfriends put the man she loved in such immense danger.

“You can't go there anymore!” She said in an intolerant voice.  


Damon grimaced incomprehensibly.

“Where else?”

“To the Salvatore school!”

She couldn't let him take that much risk.

“Don't be ridiculous!”

Damon stepped back to the refrigerator and took out a half-empty soft drink bottle. He shook it, then took a sip of it, then sighed with satisfaction. Elena, meanwhile, watched with her arms folded and wondered how she could explain to the man why he couldn't go back.

"That place is dangerous," she began. “It's full of supernatural beings. It's not safe for our kind.”

“For our own kind?” Damon's voice sounded like an octave jump.

“We're human now, Damon!” Elena shook her head. “Well, don't you understand? Now you are just a mortal.”

Damon's face became expressionless; completely sober.

“Yeah I know.” He said like he didn't like it. “But I owe them, Elena.”

“What!? What do you owe them?”

Damon looked up at her, and endless remorse flowed from his eyes, which she couldn't know where to put. But the man said nothing. He quietly headed for the small bathroom as he took off his bloody T-shirt. He opened the tap and washed his face.

Meanwhile, Elena went after him. She wanted so badly to know what was going on in Damon, but there were things they agreed not to talk about. Reading the diary entries of the others, she was not surprised. While she slept soundly, her friends went through a lot, and Elena understood that it connected them in some way, but she had always known Damon as a selfish person who didn’t care about the feelings of others, but since Elena woke up, she had to live with a completely different Damon Salvatore.

This man was kind, in his sarcastic way, caring for others; he was inhabited by a sensitive, vulnerable soul who was able to go all the way to those he loves. It is true that he was impatient, often thoughtless, fiery, and suddenly angry, but Elena was able to handle this side of him well, she knew this better. But she was completely terrified of the new Damon. Countless times she asked herself what would happen if Damon didn’t think she was good enough, what would happen if he just didn’t like her anymore.

With a sore heart, she looked at the man she loved so much, who was now shrouded in silence again. She walked over to him to the bathroom and gently stroked her fiancé's arm.

“Talk to me, Damon!” Elena told him softly. “Help me understand!”

Damon let out a faint smile at her.

“They're my family, Elena!” He said. “That's all you have to understand.”

The Gilbert girl just shook her head.

“And me, where am I in this family?”

He turned to her, grabbed Elena's face in his two palms, and looked deep into her brown doe eyes.

“You're part of it. I love you Elena, but don’t ask me to let them down!”

She bit her lower lip and looked away so she didn’t have to look into those penetrating blue eyes. Damon was right; he couldn’t let his friends down, she wouldn’t either, but that means their lives will be in constant danger, and Elena didn’t want to accept that. She didn’t know how she could convince his fiancé to leave the Scooby gang there, so she decided to play the dead brother card.

“Think about Stefan! He made a huge sacrifice so that we could live a peaceful life.”

Damon froze, and Elena felt it went too far. She tore a wound which didn't even heal completely. Nothing and no one was able to alleviate the older Salvatore brother’s pain, at least Elena certainly wasn’t

“I think about him every single day!” Damon frowned angrily. "That he should stand here and plan with Caroline what wallpaper to choose for their new apartment. Together we would go to our lakeside holiday home where the twins would play merrily while Alaric worries himself to death. I see this, all the time!”

“What?” Elena shook her head incomprehensibly. She had never heard of it from him, and even he rarely spoke of his brother.

Damon dug into his raven-black hair to calm himself down, then looked at his bride again. There was endless pain in his eyes.

"Do you know what Bonnie works in secret?"

Elena shook her head in denial.

“How to bring Stefan back. Dorian and she think it could be a loophole or some weird hocus pocus. I don’t think so, but I let them believe that I don’t know about it.”

The Gilbert girl was completely shocked.

“Is that why you're with them? Because you think they can bring him back?”  


"Don't you still understand?" Damon shouted. "When I'm in the Salvatore school, I feel Stefan; I feel like he is watching me.” He continued, calming down a little. "When I'm with them, it's like he's there, he's involved in crazy actions with us." Damon smiled. "And you know, Caroline is my sister-in-law, a Salvatore who is a member of my family, including the twins, and Alaric too, along with the twins."

Then came the cold shower for Elena. She could still digest the former, she understood that it was important to her future husband, but the next words, and how they left Damon's mouth, were like pricking his soul with tiny, hot needles.

"And Bonnie is my best friend, and I promised her I would never, ever leave her again. At any cost, but I will protect her.”

She listened to her fiancé's words with opened mouth. She read every notes her friends had written to her while she was in a magical coma. She knew that a very close relationship had developed between Damon and Bonnie and Elena was very happy about it at first. To tell the truth, everyone feared the older Salvatore would let the witch die to be with her, but that was not the case. Each time the Bennett witch was in danger, Damon saved her without hesitation, risking even his own and the others’ lives to keep Bonnie alive.

But reading stories is completely different than confronting them. As Damon was now standing there with a determined look on his face, Elena remembered their conversation some years ago when she was still with Stefan. Damon then said that if he had to choose between the Bennett witch’s or Elena’s life, he would always choose Elena. The Gilbert girl was no longer sure that the man's statement at the moment was still standing. In fact, the way she looked at her love's face now, she wasn't even sure that if the two of them had their lives at stake, Damon would choose her, and it’s terrified Elena a lot.

That evening, Elena didn't answer anything. She just nodded, then let his fiancé wash himself, then went to bed. The dream avoided her eyes all that night because she could only think that Damon would not be able to dissuade him from more and more outings, and if she did not want to lose him, she would have to adapt to the situation, but she did not have to make a good face to it. 

They’ve had a similar argument with each other several times over the last couple of years, which usually ended in Damon convincing her that everything was all right. But since Bonnie left, Elena hasn't felt safe either. She had to admit that her best friend was a kind of line of defense. When Elena and Bonnie talked about Damon, the witch could always make her understand what her husband was doing; she acted as a mediator between the two of them and helped them a lot with Caroline. Everything seemed to be going to be okay and Elena would be able to make friends with the situation of her husband befriending the supernatural.

But a few months ago, Elena was called to the dean to make a surprising and repulsive offer to Dr. Greyson Gilbert's daughter, and although the woman first said no, she signed a contract two months ago to become head of a very special research department.

***

Elena was already calm, standing calmly in the Augustin Society's lab, equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology. The room was controlled by an artificial intelligence that was connected to her laptop. The instruments featured the logo of the Triad Company, which depicted three isosceles triangles facing each other at their vertices:

This mysterious company funded the entire research. Their goal is to end the supernatural existence, to heal the world from mysticism. Elena took the assignment because she was given the opportunity to develop the curse to vampirism without Damon having to die early. The consequences didn’t matter because she really wanted to create a better future for her family, but she knew that Augustine’s experiments didn’t evoke the most pleasant memories for her husband, and none of her friends would forgive her if it turned out she had restarted the hated secret society. It would be Bonnie in particular who would hate her forever.

Dr. Elena Gilbert-Salvatore stood there in her white cloak beside the examination table. She wrapped her long, slightly wavy brown hair in a loose bun on the back of her neck, put on goggles in front of her eyes, and began to examine the ashen-gray dead vampire on the table with an expressionless face. He was the subject of 42023, with whose blood the doctor had been experimenting for two weeks. She mixed vampire blood in different ways, but so far she has been unable to show anything, but the last attempt promised encouraging results.  


“KARL turn on the recording!” Elena instructed the artificial intelligence, then began recording that day.  


“Research Diary of Dr. Elena Gilbert-Salvatore, Augustin Research Lab, June 15th 2024, 9:00 a.m. The death of the subject 42023, according to the instruments, was two hours, three minutes, on the night of 14th June 2024. The formulation mixed with the sample of subject 44052 was injected on June 14th 2024 at 15:00. The subject responded well. He was awake two hours after the loss of consciousness. Based on a blood sample from subject 42023, cell regeneration returned to a normal human rate. His ECG showed a regular sinus rhythm, his heart rate was a bit high, which can be attributed to the excitement. I cut a three-millimeters incision in the upper part of his right femur. The subject responded to the intervention with pain and no immediate regeneration was initiated.

Elena took a deep breath. She touched the body, which may have been a few hundred years old. The man wasn't very handsome, but his muscular physique and striking features made him attractive, but for Elena now had only a piece of meat that needed to be removed.

Stephanie's blood didn't work out, though Elena had high hopes for it. Her daughter's body had to have the cure in it, but it didn't seem to be enough to keep the "patient" in front of her alive. The woman bit her lower lip and wondered what the problem might have been, what might have caused the man's death.

“KARL, send the instruments’ data to the central machine!”  


Elena walked in front of a flat-panel monitor standing on a white desk. There was a set of data on the monitor display from which Dr. Salvatore could find out what she was curious about. She instructed KARL again to start recording and then continued logging.

“For subject 42023, the process was reversed. At 23:00, the heartbeat stopped and rapid cell regeneration resumed. This seems to have caused a cellular change in your body. The subject died for three hours. Cause of death: severe blood loss. Conclusion: After added the mixture, fresh blood should be provided for normal circulatory function.”

Elena pressed a button on the desk and asked for cleaners in her lab through the communication unit. She decided to go down and see the other vampires as well. As she made her way to the cells, she broke her head at another idea. If she could somehow get a blood sample from Damon and mix it with Stephanie’s sample, maybe she could get a better result. One ampoule of her husband's blood would be enough, it wouldn't be all. But it would take too much risk, so she rejected the idea earlier, but she was very close to the solution.

The cellar she had arrived in was cold, damp and smoky with fustiness smell. There were five cells there, three of which were vampires, one now left by its owner, and one cell Elena would not allow to be used. As the woman walked past the cell, she noticed the inscription on the dirty stone wall. It was engraved with a fingernail by a former Augustine vampire. Elena walked through the open cell door and ran her hand over the inscription, “D. S. 1953. ” Tears welled in her eyes, but she wouldn't let them drip down her face. Guilt had no place here; she needs professionalism now, she can’t afford to be emotional.

She walked over to one of the inmates, a woman whose dirty blonde hair had fallen into her face, her clothes were already torn, her face sunken, and she looked very skinny from hunger. Elena walked over to the bars, turning her tormented gaze to her, but no muscle twitched in her face. She looked over her shoulder at one of the guards and motioned for him to open the cell. The man, dressed in black, wore the Triad Company logo on his uniform and his weapon was filled with wooden bullets. He walked over to Elena, then opened the cell's electric lock. Dr. Salvatore pulled out a syringe filled with vervain and walked past the vampire. She gently pulled the woman off the ground not quiet gently as she showed up the syringe.

"I don't recommend you to try anything, or I'll stab this needle in you!" Elena warned the other in an expressionless voice.

The blonde vampire didn't even have a chance to defend herself. She was weakened and tormented by a hunger she had never felt before. All she knew was her denomination: subject 65082. She had recently changed, she was still young. She received a letter that Salvatore Boarding School welcomed him, but on the way to Mystic Falls she was captured; she was pushed into a black van, pumped with vervain, and finally woke up in this dirty cell. She cried for days, she had no idea where she was. She received only one glass of blood a day, which made her hunger almost unbearable. Her blood was taken, cut several times, and then locked back here. She was alone and afraid, she had never felt so lonely before. When she couldn't take it anymore, she kept repeating her name: Alexandra Fleming.

The woman in the white cloak takes her to the lab again. Alexa was scared, terrified. This feeling became unbearable when she saw one of her dead companions being pushed out.

“Please, I don't want to die!” She tried to beg. “Don't hurt me!” Tears welled in her eyes.

Elena looked at her and she was gripped by a feeling of pity. She didn't want to hurt the girl, but she had to. She felt obligated to protect her family; she thought that the experiments were the only way to do this because for Dr. Elena Gilbert – Salvatore, the safety of Damon and Stephanie Salvatore was the primary goal.

She looked at the vampire girl and smiled kindly at her.

“Calm down! If all goes well, your kind will also be able to get rid of the torment.”

***

Elena finished her work at three in the afternoon. The vampire girl was thoroughly examined by her and then she decided she would be the next subject. She recorded everything in her diary, unpacked her lap-top, and then left the Whitmore College building. Before going home, she made a detour to the Mystic Falls Cemetery.

The warm June sun shed a beneficial light on the Salvatore crypt surrounded by long poplar trees. The hard, dry ground crackled under Elena's sandals as she stepped toward the crypt entrance. Her mind was flooded with memories; both good and bad. What they sacrificed for the benefit of our loved ones. Damon wasn't right at all in the morning, Elena knew very well what the sacrifice was. In this cemetery were buried her adoptive parents, her biological parents, Aunt Jenna, and now the cool solitude of the Salvatore tomb could be enjoyed by the first, true great love of her life, Stefan.

When she entered the crypt, she placed a leather-bound book tied with a blue ribbon on to the ground. 

“Hello, Stefan!” She said, hiding her diary behind a stone. She stood up and looked at the plaque. She stroked it. “We miss you so much.”

She couldn't hold back her tears now. There was so much pain, remorse, anger, and despair gathered in her that she could no longer hold herself.

"I know you would understand why I did it," she whispered, hoping the other could hear her words somewhere. "You always understood me, you always respected my decision. You shouldn't have sacrificed yourself for us! None of you, ever.”

Elena burst into sobs.

“I betrayed him! If he finds out, he will never forgive me. I'm so scared, Stefan. I'm going to lose him!” ‘If it hasn't happened,’ she added thoughtfully. She didn't even dare say that, but as her husband looked at her this morning, nothing promised much to two of them.

“I have to tell him! Maybe he understands.”

Elena waited for an answer, but it didn’t come and never will. She knelt on the ground, buried her face in two palms, and just cried. A picture of the young blonde vampire girl stood in front of her as she stared at her trembling. She felt herself like a monster.

She finally made a decision.

“I'll tell Damon and end this. If Stephanie’s blood doesn’t help, I have to put an end to it, no matter what the consequences. I can't lie to him anymore.”

Maybe her husband understands, maybe he will be able to accept that she works for those who used to be tortured him for years.

***

The party was almost beginning by the time she got home. She stopped the Tesla in front of the house, forced a smile on herself, and walked in the door of their house. Judging by the sounds, Caroline and Bonnie could have arrived and the girls could play outside in the garden.

Elena walked up into the bedroom and changed clothes. She unpacked her lap-top and then headed to the garden to greet the others and her husband. But as she saw Bonnie and Damon talk, she stopped immediately. At first, she didn’t even understand what was bothering her so much, then she immediately began to feel the jealousy flooding her soul.

Damon and Bonnie had just packed a garden table in its place. They were bickering like an old couple, which wouldn't have been a problem, since everyone in their vicinity was used to it. Even after a year, they seemed to be resuming where they left off. The reason for the jealousy was a small, barely perceptible movement that no one but Elena noticed.

There was a whipped cream residue on the edge of Bonnie's mouth, Damon noticed, then wiped it gently, and as they looked at each other, Elena knew something had changed between the two of them. There was an expression on her husband's face that Elena hadn't seen on him in a long time, and the witch's gaze told her more than she wanted. Then the moment broke and they both turned to her.

Bonnie greeted her with bursting joy, hugged her tightly, and apologized for not being with them for so long, but Damon greeted her with just a nod. Elena sadly noted that the man was still angry with her, but the knowledge gave the woman some confidence that not only could her secrets be hidden from him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you hate Elena now? I do so much. Elena is one of the worst main caracters in the history of TV shows. And that's the problem. She was the main caracter. There is nothing intresting in her. She just exist and caus many problems. And she is evil. It was disgusting what she did with the two Salvatore brothers. She never deserved any of them. She acted like a bitch. 
> 
> But if you feel sorry for her, it means i made a good job. We need to understand her although I really hate her.  
> How did you like it? Please let me know! I really love you guys and i just want to entertain you and myself of cours. Have a nice reading:) 
> 
> PS and a little warning: There’s going to be another very sensitive thing about Elena in the fic that just turned in my head and isn’t necessarily true. But it doesn’t go out of my mind for a reason why Bonnie kept sacrificing herself for Elena. (The series is often awkwardly ... white.)


	6. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First of all Thank you for the reading, for following my story, for your comments, for your Kudos and everything. I didnt dare so much like for my story. This story just popped up my head after i saw a youtube video ( I will link that at the possible chapter). I love you giys so much. In here, in my country, everybody loves Delena, and nobody thought about Bamon and now i see how many people think the same that i do. So thank you again. 
> 
> And now we will see the thoughts of our outspoken, creative, very good actress, a little bit controll freak but very loveable Caroline Forbes. Nohing can hide in front of her eyes. So, Damon and Caroline talk about Bonnie:) Lets see what happened. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next to you every morning  
> I wake up cheerfully  
> and I feel everything is easy.  
> But sometimes a voice in my heart  
> it calls me on a new journey.  
> Maybe you never understand that  
> I do not know what to do.  
> I don't know if it should be.  
> Why can't I be in two places at once?  
> Oh-oh-oh, my God, why don't I have two lives?
> 
> How much easier it would be  
> if I had two lives.  
> I would give you one forever.  
> The other would be free  
> it would take wings every day  
> and it wants everyone it can.
> 
> If I had two lives, I would know what I don’t today.  
> Even if I had two lives, I would believe in everyone.  
> Oh-oh-oh, my God, why don't I have two lives?
> 
> If I had two lives,  
> one would be gentle  
> You could chain it to yourself.  
> But the other would be eternal,  
> and if the world were destroyed,  
> it would still flutter.
> 
> If I had two lives, nothing would hurt.  
> Even if I had two lives, I would laugh at everything.  
> Oh-oh-oh, my God, why don't I have two lives?
> 
> It hurts that I don’t have two lives.
> 
> /Piramyd: if I had two lifes/
> 
> This is a hungarian lyrics you can hear on you tube, i'll link  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=027MdifnaIc

Chapter 5

Confession

Caroline Forbes-Salvatore jumped out of her bed a little irritated. Thanks to her daylight ring, she didn’t burn from the morning sunlight filtering through the huge windows. She looked around, then grumbled angrily and leaned back on the bed. She stared at the ceiling for a few more moments, yet finally just got up.

Two things remained intact in the former Salvatore Boarding House, Stefan and Damon's bedroom. Stefan's room was occupied by Caroline, while the older Salvatore brother stipulated that they could not turn his sacred and inviolable private suite into a student hostel or give me a god classroom. However, Caroline knew that her brother-in-law needed a place to relax that could preserve intact the memories of the Salvatore family with a long history.

Stefan's room was more modest than Damon's, but Caroline didn't mind. This is also her room now. She got dressed in lightning speed to get down to the kitchen as soon as possible; she was very hungry. The anger she felt over Elena's absence raised her blood thirst to an extreme, and she felt like she'd rather bite the throat of that hypocritical goose. She would deserve it.

The Salvatore school also began to wake up. The hallways next to the ground floor entrance were filled with sleepy students, mostly vampire nebulae upstairs, who always required less sleep than their witch or werewolf counterparts. Caroline smiled kindly at each of the students, and they greeted the deputy principal with respect. As the blonde vampire reached the huge kitchen, she immediately went to the refrigerator, took out a bag of blood products labeled Mrs. Salvatore, tore it open, and began to sip sweet, human blood eagerly.

As the red liquid slid down her throat, Caroline's blood thirst subsided after each sip. Her head began to clear and she was now able to control her feelings. She has learned a lot about vampirism over the years. In addition to the bloodthirsty vampire existence, one of the best and worst things was that the emotions became heightened. Love often manifested into admiration, almost like madness, if you hated somebody, you wanted to destroy the object of your hatred or condemn it to eternal suffering. Taste, touch, making love; everything was lived a hundred times more intensely by a vampire than a human.

But Caroline was one of the few who was able to control these emotions perfectly. A simple brain test that one could do on one's own. To do this, she had to know exactly what was going on in her head and soul, she had to surrender to the feeling, so she was at risk of turning off his human feelings as well, but with a lot of practice, complete control was achieved. The rippers couldn't even dream of it. Their blood thirst, their longing for human blood, suppressed all human emotion. Caroline was proud of herself because it was thanks to this ability that she survived her husband’s death. Though the terrible agony of mourning did not end completely, it was able to alleviate it, and over time it transformed. The love for the twins helped her turn the endless pain she felt over Stefan’s death into something else.

Without anyone noticing, Caroline Forbes-Salvatore forged their picked-up team into a family, and Damon Salvatore was part of that family. She protected her brother-in-law like a hen no matter how many times he got in trouble or was hurt by Elena. And she was sure that was what happened now. Caroline knew full well that Damon's poker face was hiding very deep emotions. Though she hadn't read in her like Bonnie, she had heard the man's true feelings many times in his voice, and he couldn't hide the change in his heart rhythms from her vampire ears.

When Elena woke up everyone thought this was the best thing that could have happened to Salvatore brother except Caroline. Nothing could be hidden from her eyes. She already knew something was wrong with the man when he came back from the Other Side. Damon has changed. Until then, everything he did revolved around Elena. The man would have sacrificed everyone but the Gilbert girl to stay alive except one, Bonnie Bennett. Caroline didn't understand that then. Why didn't he change Bonnie? Why did he stay there on the island to find the witch when he knew Elena needed him more than ever? Why did he fight so much to bring Bonnie back to life? Caroline didn't take the dumb that everything was because of Elena. She knew Damon wouldn't confess to the world to anyone, but he cared about Bonnie Bennett.

The certainty that Damon loves Bonnie as much as Elena matured in Caroline when the man wouldn’t let the witch die when Kai linked her life to Elena. Malachai Parker offered Bonnie Bennett's life to Damon on a tray, but was not accepted by the Salvatore brother. He killed the heretical Gemini leader, losing every chance for the love of his life to wake up. From then on, Damon obsessively defended the Bennett witch, even if it cost his life, and Bonnie did the same. There was much more than friendship between the two of them, but they stubbornly insisted that they not cross that certain line.

When Elena woke up, Damon almost immediately proposed to her and Bonnie set off on a trip around the world. Caroline, on the other hand, suspected that this would not end well. Damon became a human, and that changed the man. The blonde vampire come to like him so much. He left no trace of the monster she had met at the first time and became one of the most important persons in her life. But Elena also changed; she cut herself off from her friends. Fear of the supernatural overwhelmed her soul, and she simply wanted to exclude it, but Damon did not.

They were tied together with Damon on a thousand threads that Elena couldn't understand. He didn’t see Damon really suffer, but Bonnie and Caroline did. Then she really understood how misunderstood Damon was. Damon Salvatore took it upon himself, the burden of hatred, his remorse, his suffering, for the city, for the people who lived in Mystic Falls, for his family. All responsibility shrugged the older Salvatore brother’s shoulder because he was the better brother.

For the past seven years, Caroline has been working to take the burden that her brother-in-law carried off his shoulders. She was willing to help him in everything, even if it meant the man was rushing to his loss. Everything became clear to the widow on his wedding day, but she couldn’t let the big event turn into disaster, so she was forced to intervene. She saw it all in front of him: Bonnie and Damon were going to kiss each other in front of Elena's eyes. She couldn't let that happen, but she had regretted this deed ever since. Although Caroline was outspoken, and it often happened to her that she didn’t know when to catch her, there was a line to Damon and Bonnie that she didn’t cross.

The Scooby gang’s actions mostly consisted of mapping. Prospective students at the school were made up of children who had supernatural abilities in some way. It was Damon who handled the human side: papers, talking to relatives, talking to a potential candidate, and so on. If things didn’t go as smoothly as expected, then came Bonnie, their secret weapon. The Bennett witch has developed very effective methods to appease “problematic” adolescents and has often protected the older Salvatore as a living shield.

Caroline had a vivid memory of the night when she was perfectly sure that Bonnie was in love with Damon. They got word of a 15-year-old young vampire who has killed no less than ten people since his transformation. Damon looked after the boy and it turned out that the guy had done well in school so far, an avid World of Warcraft fan, loved his mother, and also a talented artist; typical nerd. They immediately flew over the case, but settled themselves. When the guy sensed that Damon was human, he rushed. Everything happened very quickly. Caroline only noticed that her brother-in-law was lying unconscious, with a bitten throat as Bonnie tried to break the guy's bones into glow powder, nearly killing the prospective student. Caroline found it very difficult to stop her girlfriend, but she eventually calmed her down.

They couldn’t give Damon vampire blood because he wouldn’t have been cured of it as a side effect of the cure, so Bonnie tried a plethora of healing spells and some herbs to keep the man alive. Luckily for them, Elena was at a medical conference in Seattle just then, and no one felt obligated to report her husband’s condition to her. Stephanie moved into the school for a short time, so Alaric and Caroline took care of the little girl. The Bennett witch spent a full twenty-four hours in the Stefan Salvatore Memorial Library; she did not eat, did not drink, did not sleep, but eventually found a solution. In a very ancient book, she came across a spell that might be able to heal a man. All it took was Caroline's blood and some Bonnie Bennett's hocus pocus (this was what Damon called tricky Bonnie magic). As the man woke up, the witch immediately jumped around his neck, but then slapped Damon on the face so that even the ears of the blonde vampire snapped.

"If you scare me like that again, I'm not good for myself!" Bonnie shouted then. “How did you imagine walking alone in front of a ripper?!”

“For God's sake, Bon-Bon! Calm down!” He stroked the reddened face. “I'm alive, and that's the point.”

“Ha!” Bonnie started blowing. “And to whom can you owe it? Because not for yourself, that's for sure!”

Damon grabbed Bonnie's face in both hands, then drilled his blue eyes that shone like crystals into the witch's green eyes that shone like emeralds, and answered the witch with a warm smile on his face.

“Thank you, Bonnie! I promise I won’t go against a ripper alone anymore.”

The Bennett witch immediately calmed down before Damon kissed her forehead gently, and then Caroline heard both of them heartbeat. The two hearts went to a similar rhythm, coordinated like the instruments of a symphony orchestra. At that moment, she understood everything; she put the picture together and also knew she couldn't say a word about it. They decided that their friendship was more important than anything, even their own feelings. But this morning Caroline had had enough.

Before Bonnie left, everything was fine, but something happened to Elena after the witch left that no one could explain. Quarrels between her and her husband became more frequent, her girlfriend became more and more aloof from them, and Caroline had the terrible suspicion that Elena was almost paranoid. Damon didn't visit them that often either. He withdrew from the discussions, often not picking up the phone, and behaving more and more confused. 

The situation began to normalize when they finally got word from the witch, but when she announced she wasn’t going home to Mystic Falls, Damon was completely upset. The Bennett witch and the ex-vampire phoned each other for more than an hour. Meanwhile, assorted insults were threw to each other’s heads; Bonnie called Damon an outrageous, fucking old man, while elder Salvatore called him an irresponsible worn because Bonnie was able to walk into a nightclub in downtown Los Angeles alone in the middle of the night. When they both seemed to have finally calmed down, Damon announced that he would be leaving for Los Angeles that day and, if necessary, pulling the witchy home with force. This was followed by another hour of fierce apology and, as Caroline had guessed, a whimsical lie from Bonnie that the witch had met someone in LA and did not want an unknown, not incidentally married man to go into the ensuing romance. Of course, Damon didn't take that either. If Bonnie wants to shake him down, she has to be better than a fictional guy. So Bonnie was forced — reluctantly — to give them some information about a mysterious man named Lucifer Morningstar who knew all about the Travelers, and said she couldn’t go back to Mystic Falls until she found out what was really going on here. She also added that a guy named Lucifer is a very strong supernatural being (he didn’t say what it was) so she is completely safe. Damon promised her that she would check in at one of their messengers at least once a week, otherwise he would actually show up in Los Angeles. From then on, everything went well for a while until Elena accepted a fatty research medical position at Whitmore.

Then the trouble really started, not just for Caroline, but for the whole Scooby gang. Salvatore School also kept track of the graduates, and Damon’s help came in handy. The Salvatore charm brought him a lot of connections and he always sat down to talk to the right people at the Grill. She had a God-given talent to take women off her feet in an instant with her little boy charm and her amazingly sexy half-smile. And the men were attracted by his determination and Damon's peculiar, sarcastic humor. As a result, they always had helpers who, unknowingly, provided information about former or future students.

Over the past two months, sources have provided worrying news: several candidates and graduates have disappeared, as if they have been swallowed up by the earth, and Damon wanted to withdraw from the circulation at the worst possible time to repair his disintegrating marriage. Caroline noticed that her brother-in-law became more irritated day by day, tense, and unbearable, almost reminding her of the asshole she had met at the first time. When she asked Elena what the problem might be, she got a very evasive answer, but about two weeks ago, her brother-in-law finally spitted it out.

Since Bonnie was still in Whitmore, Damon very rarely used Caroline as a spiritual trash can, very, very rarely. They were sitting there in the man's spacious living room. Caroline clutched a school folder while her brother-in-law sipped an ice-cold non-alcoholic beer (Elena banned alcohol from the house).

Since Bonnie was still in Whitmore, Damon very rarely used Caroline as a spiritual trash can, very, very rarely. They were sitting there in the man's spacious living room. Caroline clutched a school folder while her brother-in-law sipped an ice-cold non-alcoholic beer (Elena banned alcohol from the house).

Please, Damon! Just help me find this girl for once! The fluff begged him.  
Damon just rolled his eyes, but showed no willingness to comply with his sister-in-law's request. It looked like he was very tired and tense again. Caroline looked at him with clenched lips and angry frowns.

“Still, what about you?! She snapped. We've been begging you to come to the discussions for two months now, because there's a great need for Damon's logic! The students are constantly disappearing, we can't find any trace of them! Don't want to go on vacation now!”

Caroline took a deep breath and was very angry. She would have preferred to have hit Damon against the wall, who was still drinking his beer calmly, apparently. The man's expressionless poker face suddenly turned into a distorted grimace.

“For God's sake, Caroline!” He blurted out. “I’m trying to save my goddamn marriage, which is starting to fall into tiny, little pieces.” He demonstrated with his index finger and thumb how tiny those pieces were.

Caroline growled and blew. Waves of anger began to flood her body that she felt for her former best friend; she was heavily concentrated so that her thirst would not overwhelm her, but her eyes still darkened.

“Elena again!” The widow growled. Damon responded with a shrug. “I wish Bonnie was here!” She sighed.

There was a barely noticeable change in his brother-in-law's body. For a human wouldn't have even appeared, but Caroline was a vampire. Damon's body tensed at the name, his heart pounding back and forth as his pulse jumped, but his face remained expressionless. It didn't take more than a batting, yet she spotted it. Suddenly their eyes widened, and an endless range of emotions could be read from the beautiful blue eyes. The elder Salvatore had always successfully hidden his true feelings from the world, but if someone looked into those ocean eyes, the man's soul is seemed. All his emotions he didn’t want to show the outside world swirled in them.

The woman didn’t want to ask a question for it because it was an area she couldn’t venture into, but now she felt very frustrated. For weeks, every time Damon brought Stephanie to them, she saw her brother-in-law suffer. She asked him every time, but the answer was just that they had a little argument with Elena, but they would solve their problem, and with that, he considered the subject closed. This time, however, Caroline couldn't leave it at that. She could never put a padlock on her mouth, so why does she change now?

"Yet what has happened between you that is so upsetting that you are not willing to lift your butt a little to help the Scooby band, of which you are the leader by the way?"

"Alaric is the boss," Damon said.

Caroline just gave him a devastating look. They all knew it wasn't true.

“Tell me finally!” The blondie begged. "I know I'm not Bonnie Bennett, but we're in such a good relationship to share it with me if something hurts."

Damon suddenly jumped up, slammed the bottle he was holding in his hand on the coffee table, and looked angrily at the woman in front of him.

“Nothing happens!” He exploded. “Nothing! Do you understand, Caroline? For nearly two months I don’t live a wedlock, we don’t talk, we just quarrel, she’s barely home, and she keep disappearing.” Damon gestured fiercely as he spoke, as his ancestors might have done at the time, and his voice now had a faint Italian accent. The man completely lost control. “And you know what's worst?” Caroline shook her head in denial. "That I don't know, it's just cheating or it's just me ruining something again."

Damon crept back into his armchair. He ran his fingers nervously into her hair, ran his hand down the back of his neck, and finally buried his face in his two palms. Caroline saw despair on his face. Her brother-in-law couldn't really put his feelings into words, his actions always spoke instead. Stefan said when his brother was in some great grief, he always hid so that others could not see how weak he was. Damon was a protector whether he acknowledged this or not. He had to be stronger and he couldn’t afford to collapse. But Caroline also knew that deep down inside the elder Salvatore was a very sensitive man who would do his best for his loved ones, who could stand up for others, who stubbornly clung to what he believed in. Suffering to see him was one of the hardest things for the woman. She owed him so much that her whole life would be little to repay all the good that Damon had done for them. That was what she thought Elena would never understand.

While the Gilbert girl was asleep, Damon changed. From an orbital, selfish asshole, he became a much more bearable, selfish asshole, and Caroline got to love him so much. She saw the depths of the man, the man behind the mask, what Bonnie and Elena had noticed much earlier that Damon Salvatore deserved their love.

However, this discovery brought something else to Caroline. Everything she had thought about the man so far had to be re-evaluated, including his relationship with Elena Gilbert. Their marriage was very one-sided. While Damon did everything he could to make Elena happy, she teased him as she pleased. She had always been able to arouse guilt in her husband, with which she managed to make what she wanted always happen. Damon just wouldn't let go of the Scooby gang. The Salvatore school was important not only to Alaric and Caroline, but to Damon as well. The boarding school reserved for supernatural beings was the legacy of the Salvatore brothers for posterity, a refuge where they could live almost normal lives, and Damon did not leave them alone.

Elena was not part of the Scooby band. She was too preoccupied with her studies and building her medical career. She did not stop school even during her pregnancy. Caroline, Bonnie and Damon were the ones who took care of Stephanie. She didn’t cook, she didn’t really clean, and even the man complained many times about how much his wife was lousing. (The Scooby gang for that too how clean-minded Damon was.) But she could whine. I'm too tired, too hot, too much to learn, too cold, Damon is too far away, too many bills, and so on. Caroline often wondered how Damon could handle this. The answer: the man lived a double life. Almost. In one, like a typical henpecked husband, in the other, he was the head of the Scooby gang. Apparently, he found the balance perfectly, but when his two lives struck each other, or Damon's plans crossed Elena's, the woman struck such a hoopla that the man could not be seen for days. These big quarrels usually ended with Damon having to be scraped together from the floor of the Grill, from his old bedroom, from Bonnie’s living room, and he always asked the same thing: where I messed up. Caroline would have preferred to answer that there when he married a woman he didn’t even know. Because that was the truth. Amidst the great chaos, when they met each other, none of them noticed that they really had nothing in common. Their dreams, their expectations, were different, they saw the world differently and themselves in it. Love is not enough to bridge such gaps.

Then, sitting there on the living room couch, Caroline saw exactly that and asked the question that had been racing through her head for months.

“Do you still love her?

Damon swallowed hard, one could almost hear the air tearing inside the man's lungs. He didn't seem to expect that question. He looked up at Caroline, who was waiting intently for an answer.

“Honestly, Care?” The man's voice was low and full of pain. “I do not know.” Damon sat in the armchair with a desperate look. "The truth is, I have no idea how I feel since she woke up."

Caroline nodded.

“I guessed.”

The elder Salvatore let out a faint half-smile, then slowly stood up and took a sip of his beer. She waited. Her brother-in-law was like a wounded savage. You could only get close to him if you were careful and patient enough to wait for him to step in. It took a long second for the man to finally speak. His voice was scratched full of remorse.

"Sometimes there are moments when I wish she never woke up."

The confession was followed by a shocked silence. The blonde had been waiting for this for a very long time. She loved Elena because she was her girlfriend, but every single time she hurt Damon, her heart was broken and waves of anger flooded her body.

She set the files in her hands on the coffee table, then, in the blink of an eye, grew in front of her brother-in-law, finally hugging the man, taking care not to break his bones. A little later, Damon returned the hug.

"I know," she whispered in his ear.

They held each other like this for a while, then Caroline gently pushed the man away from her, then looked seriously into the tear-soaked blue eyes.

"I know sometimes you wish you could live another life in which neither Voldemort nor Elena are involved." Voldemort means Katherine; the name of the vampire who turned Damon into a monster was not even allowed to be pronounced before him.

Her brother-in-law nodded, and she tilted her head to the side with a faint smile. Her hands were still on the man's shoulder. She was about to say something that could take the conversation to very dangerous terrain, but now that Damon had finally seemed to open up, Caroline didn't want to miss the chance for another confession.

"I also know there is someone who is part of that other life. Someone who cares about you and loves you very much, who knows you and accepts you as you are. She would do anything for you and your daughter.”

If the shock could be depicted in an encyclopedia or lexicon, It would put in the picture that Damon’s face showed when the words left Caroline’s mouth. The teenage boy looks like this when his parents catch him doing things with his girlfriend in his bedroom. The man swallowed hard, then gave his sister-in-law a searching look.

"What do you want to punch, Blondie?"  
Caroline chuckled.  
“I think you know who I'm talking about. She would make your life happier.”

The man stared at her with his lips open. In Caroline's mind, since the Salvatore-Gilbert engagement, a voice kept screaming that it wasn't going to be good, but she was too busy to listen to that voice, and her own grief, which she had to take care of, made that voice even lower. Until the ominous “almost kiss” moment at the wedding. She has been waiting six years for something to finally happen. Since then, she has been watching how the two of them rush for their own happiness. While Damon fled into a bad marriage, the Bennett witch chose the trip, the adventures, just so they didn’t have to face what they felt about each other. And that really angered Caroline. But now she wanted to do something about it, because the glass was not full, but overflowing. It was as if Damon had built a wall around their life with Elena that seemed to collapse. Check, Caroline thought. Let's see what the other’s next step.

Damon looked at her confused now. He took a step back as Caroline crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Bonnie," he breathed. Gently, softly, he uttered the name in his mouth before the blonde vampire giggled, but it died quickly as she looked at the man again.

Damon's face darkened, his blue eyes, which sometimes shone dazzlingly bright, now scattered sparks. She thought that if her brother-in-law was still a vampire, his blood vessels would fill with blood, she could almost see the blackness in his eyes as well. Damon began to snarl, then pointed threateningly at the woman with his index finger.

“You can never… never tell anyone! If I find out you’re talking to anyone about this, or just mention it, I swear I’ll stuff your morning coffee with vervain and pierce your heart through a chunky chair leg.

“Waow! Is the situation that serious?” Caroline smiled mockingly at him with her arms folded.

“There is no situation!” He snapped. “Do you understand?! She’s my best friend and you shouldn’t even think that anything can happen between us!”

"You've been lying for seven years, Damon!" Care shouted back.

“Oh, so much more!” He slipped out of his mouth. “And it works!" He said that through his teeth.

“Until now!” She snapped back. 

She knew that the better she groomed the man, the more she could get out of him. Damon had to lose control in order to finally be honest with himself. Judging by his brother-in-law’s breaking Italian accent, this has already happened. “I've been seeing you suffer for weeks! What weeks?! I've been watching for years how you ruin yourself for Elena's sake while I know you're in love with Bo…”

The man suddenly stepped so close to them that their noses almost touched. Although, Damon was barely taller than her, he was still towering almost over her now.

„Don’t say it!” He snarled. „You can't say it!”

Caroline stared at him. Now she had gone too far; she has to finish.

“Why?!”  
“Because it's not love!” He took a step back again, yelling into her face. “It's so much more!” He began to gesture fiercely as words burst out of him like hot lava dripping from a volcano about to erupt. "It's something I don't understand and I can't control anymore. I feel more deeply about her than anyone else in my life so far!” He continued, a little calm, accompanied by a tired sigh. "I've learned to live with it, so it's better for both of us." He pursed his lips mockingly. “For all three of us.”

Seeing the man's fierce reaction, Caroline got her hand in front of her mouth. Now every piece of the puzzle is in place.

“That's why you left! That's why you chose desiccation!”

The man nodded and Caroline looked at him with piercing eyes.  
“Now you have to tell me what happened! Yet what was your real reason for leaving everyone behind?”

Damon dug into her hair, looking struggling.

In short?” he finally said. "I couldn't watch her die. Waiting for her to stand there by her bed as a grey haird, old woman, while I wait for the love of my life,” he said in a mocking tone, to “finally wake up. The thought was almost unbearable. And it finally scared me to death how I was going to face Elena after Bonnie died.” Damon looked at Caroline very seriously. "I was afraid of myself, I was afraid I would live with Bonnie Bennet for a lifetime, and I wouldn't want the other woman just waiting for me in that coffin to be with me."

"Because who is Damon Salvatore without Elena Gilbert?" Caroline said softly the words Damon had once written to himself.

"Exactly," his brother-in-law nodded, then bit his lower lip and began to smile faintly under his mustache. He lowered his chin and shook his head, looking up at the woman from there. “Do you want to hear some madness?”

Caroline nodded in agreement.

“When I was there in the Armory and Lockwood almost killed her because that annoying little witch was playing self-sacrifice for me again, it just turned in my head for a moment to turn her what would be or suck the cure from Elena. It would have been a nice little welcome party.” There was some cheer in his voice now.” Hi, Elena! Yeah, what happened to Bonnie and Damon? Well, Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore are in the family crypt.”

Caroline tried to contain the burst of laughter, but a soft chuckle just left her mouth. Damon sighed again and looked sadly in front of him.

"I can't love her the way she deserves. Because Bonnie Bennett deserves only the best. So I love her the way I can, the way I do best for everyone.” He shook his head, then smiled faintly in front of him. "You have no idea what I had to do to make it so."

Caroline's eyes widened. She really didn't know what her brother-in-law was talking about now. She thought he wanted to solve his problem by leaving, but what if…

“What did you do, Damon?” She asked, accompanied by a dying sigh.

The man did not answer immediately. He pursed his lips halfway, then the well-known half-smile appeared on his face.

“I turned it off. Tikk!” He raised his thumb and forefinger to his temple and pretended to turn a switch. “All right, I'd rather switch it.”

Waves of recognition ran through Caroline. She raised her blue eyes to his brother-in-law in amazement, then tried to digest her discovery with open lips.

“Are you able to it?”

Now it was Damon's turn to marvel.

“Wait! What do you know, Blondie?”

Caroline looked back at the man consciously. She shook herself proudly and answered the man perky.

“Well! I did too. I solved a problem.” Caroline's expression suddenly changed; pain slipped through her eyes. "I had to do it, or I wouldn't survive."

Damon stepped closer to his sister-in-law with concern.

“What happened?” He asked gently.

A tiny tear appeared in the corner of the woman's eyes, but she wiped and stifled the crying, finally smiling wide.

“Stefan. I couldn’t stand the grief and I had to take care of the twins, the school, you.” Damon smiled. “You needed me. Bonnie left and Elena… simply went over. She was too happy to care for anyone else, as always.”

The man grimaced.

"I know, I've been through it," he told Caroline sadly.

"I really wanted to turn everything off," she continued. “But Dorian brought a book from the Armory that described an ancient way to maintain the heightened emotions of vampires. I took a huge risk, but in the end I succeeded. I faintly felt Stefan’s absence, and the more I cared about you and the school, the less it hurt.”

Her brother-in-law came even closer and hugged her. Caroline felt the well-warmed warmth of the man's body, inhaling the familiar, spicy scent that always reminded her when they were still together. Although Damon took advantage of her ugly at the time, she still thought back with nostalgia for those evenings when she was still “dating” with the older Salvatore brother. The man could be extremely gentle if he wanted to.

He raised his head, then pulled away from the other a little.  
\- But it's not easy. The feeling always stays there. It flickers faintly but does not disappear.  
Damon grinned at him.  
"Well, remember, I have more than a hundred years of advantage over you." He winked. "My abilities were much more sophisticated." He raised his index finger. “Besides, I had Elena there.” He spread his arms as if to bow. "The more I loved Elena, the less I wanted Bonnie so divinely… So, you know.

Caroline just grimaced, as if smelling something very smelly. “Pew! You can be really disgusting sometimes!” 

Damon shook his head theatrically. 

“I know.”

Caroline bit her lower lip. Something, then not right. Damon sacrificed a lot to keep Bonnie alive. And it didn’t start when the man closed the coffin to himself. The change in their relationship could be felt much sooner. The truth is, the air has always vibrated between the two of them. They were enemies, and even Bonnie almost set Damon on fire once, of course Damon bit her throat before, but somehow there was always a kind of weird tension between them. The temperature rose measurably when the two of them got into one room. And for the past seven years, they’ve gotten so close together that they’ve almost come glued.

The woman took a deep breath and asked her about something that was very busy and she couldn’t figure it out.

“When did you do it?” Caroline, seeing the man's tired expression, raised her finger and shook it at the other. "And before you ask, I won't leave until you tell me."

Damon rolled his eyes boredly, but just nodded.

“Well.” He raised his palm and pointed his index finger at Caroline. "But, you can't tell anyone about this, especially Bonnie." Caroline pretended to pull a zipper over her mouth. Damon nodded grimacingly. "Then come the big confession," he said theatrically. “Where to start… Once upon a time, there was a ugly vampire who one day fell in love with a beautiful girl.” Damon acted a little. When he said he was an “ugly vampire,” he pulled up his upper lip, then started snapping his teeth as he reached the “beautiful girl” part, starting to flutter his long lashes and placing his two palms on his face. Caroline chuckled. “Then the ugly vampire, won the heart of the beautiful princess, and was no happier in the world than her, until the evil witch appeared” here he began to imitate claws with his hands, ”to ruin everything. She locked themselves in a prison to turn the ugly vampire into a knight and robbed his heart.”

Caroline smiled smugly.

“I knew it! The prison world.”

Damon grimaced mockingly again and waved.

“Let me finish the tale. I already have a lot of practice in it.” Damon continued his one-man show. “The ugly vampire finally escaped because the evil witch turned out to be in fact a cursed fairy princess with tremendous power and sacrificed herself so that the ugly vampire who had become a knight could return home to the beautiful princess.” Caroline listened intently. It seemed to her brother-in-law that this was not the first time she had told this tale. She suspected Stephanie might fall asleep on different versions of the same tale in the evenings. "But the ugly vampire was no longer an ugly vampire, and the beautiful princess was no longer as wonderful as before. The vampire, who had become a knight, fought shoulder to shoulder with his brother to get his fairy princess back, but his attempt was useless. But one fine day the knight returned home to his dark castle with the fairy princess standing in front of him, and at that moment the knight knew he didn't need any love spells or potions to fall in love with the fairy princess. But he swore allegiance to the other princess, so the vampire who had become a knight had to decide. He chose the princess because the knight did not feel worthy of the greatness of the fairy princess.” Caroline waited even more excited for the end of the tale; Damon was a very good performer. "Then a very evil wizard gave the princess a dream. The beautiful princess could not wake up until the fairy princess died, and this was almost the end for the knight. He felt his heart split in two, so he turned to a very ancient spell that silenced the sound of his heart he heard when he was near the fairy princess, but the voice always came back and the knight could do nothing else, he had to hide. Then the fairy princess awoke the beautiful princess and they lived happily ever after. End of fairy tale.” Damon bowed theatrically.

Caroline silently scanned her brother-in-law's face, who was still just smiling.

"You know you can't do this forever?" She asked him.

Damon snorted mockingly.

“I don't have to do this forever. I'll die sooner or later. That's the good for the whole thing. By the time Bonnie dies, I'll be dead." He pretended it was the greatest thing in the world.

The man grabbed Caroline's shoulder, turned her sister-in-law toward her, and began to speak in a serious voice.

"Look, Caroline! I know this all sounds terribly bad. But believe it or not, I love Elena. Whatever happens, I will always love her." Caroline nodded. "That's why I know for sure that Bonnie deserves someone for who she's the first. Believe me, I've thought about it a thousand times. I ran hundreds of possible versions on my own. This was not a typical decision by Damon Salvatore.”

He lowered his head and looked at Caroline again. She had never seen him so old. His eyes reflected the 185 years he had spent here on Earth, she saw the wisdom in him now. 

"Elena is my wife, and I got Stephanie from her, so I'll never regret my decision. Bonnie is my best friend, the person the closest to me and I would never, ever risk this relationship. I’ve made this mistake once before, and of all the horrible things I’ve done, this is what I regretted the most.” Now he smiled again, a mischievous light flashing in his blue eyes. "And if she finally put her annoying figure home, I can finally hug her, and then I'll know it's all right. That's the point. She will always be with me, and so will Elena. And no one hurt anyone.”

"But you're suffering," Caroline said softly.

"It's not so hard," Damon said carelessly. “I have a happy life, better than I deserve.”

Caroline finally nodded. She understood Damon. She really didn't want to accept it, but she understood him. She was part of a many complicated love affair to know the choice wasn’t always easy. She had to choose between Matt and Tyler first, finally she chose Tyler, then she came Tyler and Klaus, and finally she let go of both. However, with Stefan, it was not easy for him to cross that certain line between friendship and love. It was even harder for Stefan because Elena's shadow was constantly casting on their relationship, so she could already see that it would have been almost impossible for Damon to cope with. However, Caroline was most annoyed even then that both Stefan and Damon suffered from a woman who did not deserve their love. Because at the same time, the blonde vampire was sure that Elena Gilbert did not deserve any of the Salvatore brothers. She knew something about her that no one else did, but she had to carry that secret for eternity.

“All right. As you wish.” Caroline picked up the file from the coffee table in a breeze and pressed it into Damon's hand. “Then… Alexandra Flamming. Are you looking on it?”

Damon rolled his eyes theatrically, then nodded very gracefully.

"Be as your whish, Blondie!"

“Amen!” Caroline smiled.

She quickly picked up her bag from the couch and then headed for the exit, throwing a flying kiss to his brother-in-law, who caught it and pressed his fist to his heart.

“I'm sorry, but I have to go now! Urgent school thing!”

Caroline stormed out the door, but Damon's question stopped her.

“Meeting at eight in the evening?” Damon stood with his eyebrows raised in the middle of the living room, the file in his hand already open.

Caroline smiled broadly. According to them, the conversation worked.

“We look forward to seeing you.” She stepped out the back door, but looked back one last time. "Damon, believe it or not, you deserve to be happy!" She turned on her heel and left his shocked brother-in-law alone in the large living room. 

However, on the morning of Stephanie’s birthday, Caroline became very angry. Since Damon's confession, the situation in the Scooby gang has begun to normalize, but the older Salvatore seemed more and more tormented. He now spent more time at the Grill and the Salvatore School than ever before. He spent an entire day by the time Bonnie came home to keep the witch's apartment spotless. He did everything with his own hands, which meant the man was well… horny. He derived his sexual frustration that way. This was already noticed by both Caroline and Bonnie. The Salvatore-Gilbert residence was never cleaner than when Elena was on the childbearing. The fact that the woman was so far away from her family only upset Caroline even more. She tried to talk to Bonnie about it, too, but there were something wrong with the Bennett witch also. Slowly, she began to feel like everyone was going crazy around her.

Elena’s absence from organizing her birthday was no longer acceptable just because they wanted to celebrate another birthday, which they hadn’t done yet. They never knew why Damon hadn’t told anyone when he was born, but Caroline still found out the date and it fell on June 18th. So now that he is practically 185 years old man, the woman and the Bennett witch have organized a surprise party behind their friend’s back. They were a little bothered that Elena couldn’t or didn’t want to be involved in organizing because that made everything a little more complicated. The whole surprise depended on how well they could time the witches ’arrival. Given that Elena didn’t like the supernatural things around her, the two women feared that number one Mrs. Salvatore might do a scandal. It would have been much easier if she could be involved in the plan as well.

Caroline was still standing by the refrigerator in the huge kitchen. Most of the furniture has since been replaced a long time ago, but the fireplace has remained. Most of the kitchen cabinets were metallic in color, and the room proved to be spacious enough to accommodate up to ten to twelve people. The huge entrance hall of the Salvatore boarding house has also been somewhat remodeled. The pool table finished in Damon's garage, from where Elena washed it, and ended up in the Grill. Today, instead of two rustic sofas, there were smaller tables with chairs where students could study and practice. Above the fireplace, the two crossed spears were still standing, and the coat of arms of the Salvatores, the beautiful letter S, adorned the shield.

Meetings of the Scooby gang were held in the Stefan Salvatore Memorial Library, where a special reading corner was set up for this purpose. The library stock is approx. Half were provided by volumes collected by the Salavatore family, including Stefan’s diaries. This part was subjected to strong censorship by Damon, and what could not be placed on the shelves was placed in Damon's bedroom. (Fun fact number one about Damon Salvatore: the older brother loved to read.) A much more modest proportion of the books came from Alaric, while the rest were provided by documents brought from the Armory. The library also included works of art that were also put together in a similar way. Among these was Damon’s daylight ring, and he also kept Stefan’s in his bedroom in a box he never showed anyone. Here it could be thinking and all the information was at their disposal, almost all of them.

Bonnie’s mysterious messages about the Travelers, and about that mysterious man named Lucifer, didn’t bring their case any closer. For the missing students, Bonnie’s locator spell didn’t help. They were simply swallowed up by the earth. So Caroline was worried about a lot.

After sucking the last drop out of the blood bag, she headed upstairs to the twins' bedroom, which was right next to his. (Damon’s was two corners away in the corner of the house, though it was really more of a suite than a bedroom. Sometimes Caroline secretly visited the bathtub as well.)

As she entered the girls softly, her dead heart was filled with warmth. Elizabeth and Josette Saltzman were the meanings of Caroline Forbes-Salvatore’s life. The twins are not her children in a biological sense, but she carried them out, no matter how strange it sounded, fed them, wrapped them in the evenings, and when she was called a mother, love almost overflowed in her soul. She would not have believed that there was a mother who loved her own children more than she did these two angelic creations. Most vampires had to give up the family after the transformation. For a woman, this meant she could never get pregnant because she had virtually dead eggs. (It also had some benefits for menstruation.) But Caroline was given the miracle and was never happier than when she could first hold the two newborn babies. Lizzie was named after the blonde vampire's mother, while Jo was named after their biological mother.

The memory of the night when members of the dying Gemini coven conjured babies in her womb slipped through Caroline's mind. Yes, that night changed the lives of many of them. Kai Parker's appearance was one of the most horrific events of their lives, but it didn't hurt anyone as much as Damon, and Caroline ended up with a more lucky outcome in the end. (Fun fact number 2 about Damon Salvatore: Damon has / had two deadly enemies, because you never know, Katherine Pierce and Malachai Parker.)

The blonde vampire walked over to the two sleeping children. She took a deep breath of their scent, the scent of home. Their blood had a sweet smell that almost caressed her nose, yet she didn't turn her head to bite into them even once.

Not so with Stefan. It was very difficult to get over the fact after he became a human that she wanted to suck out her fiancé’s blood at all costs. She didn't even understand that then. It was a much more controllable feeling than bloodthirsty, but at the same time more annoying, as if something were constantly poking your subconscious mind that your partner needed to be eaten, like a bizarre praying locust. She later received an answer to this question: For a vampire, it is a sure sign that it is worth transforming a mortal and living an eternity with it if you desire it’s blood above all else.

There was no problem with the twins. The blonde leaned softly over them and pressed a kiss to both of them. When they began to squirm, she began to wake them softly.

“Hey! Dream seats! Alarm clock! Today is the big day, but school is still ahead!”

First, Jo opened her big brown eyes.

“Hi Mom!” Caroline hugged her tightly, and Lizzie got up.

“Moooom! We're in school, why do we have to get up so early?” The blonde little girl despised. Lizzi Saltzman looked strikingly like Caroline.”  
"Today is Stephanie's birthday, and we'll have to get ready soon to have time to play," her vampire mom said with feigned rigor.  
The two girls' eyes immediately popped out. They sat up quickly on the bed and winked mischievously at each other. They loved Steph, they were very good friends with the youngest Salvatore. When she saw the kids together, they reminded Caroline of her own childhood, when Elena, Bonnie, and she were still best friends. Well, life is constantly changing, though she and Bonnie are still close. What will be the fate of the twins and Steph?

“Mom!” They both took out their most beautiful smiles and spoke to her at the same time. 

"Will you let Stephanie sleep with us again?" 

They looked up at their mother with big puppy eyes, who just smiled back at them and shook their heads.

"You know that Uncle Damon and Aunt Elena need to be asked about this."

Lizzi and Jo chuckled and smiled again. Caroline looked at them suspiciously. She put her hands on her hips and pulled out the expression “I’m a strict mother”.

"Girls, you can't sip magic from Steph… again! Especially not in the presence of Aunt Elena.”

Well, that was another problem. Stephanie Lillian Salvatore had magic power, but no one knew what it was like. She couldn’t be a vampire or a werewolf, and Bonnie said she wasn’t a witch. But the little girl had never been sick, was not injured, and sometimes communicated with touch. She's only done this with three people so far. With her father (when it first happened, Damon called Bonnie in mixed panic with admiration to see what the hell was going on here), Caroline, and Bonnie, who was able to answer her back. A special bond developed between the witch and Stephanie because of this. Many times they sat in silence in a room as they talked to each other. Bonnie said the little girl was able to share her feelings, thoughts, and vica versa with her. It was also a mystery they had to find out, and Elena didn't know it either. How much longer can they keep this in secret?

Caroline stroked her hair and blew out the air slowly. She looked over at the two girls who had now brought out their most innocent face.

"We didn't want to," Lizzi said.

"Dad forbade it, too," Jo added.

The blondie pursed her lips.

"All right," she nodded. “But now go to change, breakfast, then brushing your teeth.”

The girls jumped out of bed. They walked over to their closet and began sorting their clothes at a fast pace. Caroline pressed a farewell kiss to the crown of both of their heads, then walked over to her own room. She changed herself. She opted for a cream-colored, A-line, tiny floral dress with a wide shoulder strap and a V-shaped cutout. For this, she chose a white sandal with high heels. She pinned her hair to a ponytail because it made her look better. The temperature already reached 20-25 degrees Celsius in the early morning hours, which, however, had no effect on a vampire. Be it winter or summer, Caroline had not sensed changes in the weather for a very long time.

She picked up the presents from the dresser next to the bed. She carefully wrapped the snow globe for Stephanie, which Lizzie and Jo made with the witch students. This snow globe reacted to the individual's magic, if someone had it. If it was caught by a person who had magical powers, the golden powder inside the glass sphere could take interesting forms. Of course, Steph will only be able to use this if his mother is not around. 

She put Damon's gift in a small gift bag. It was a book. She found one of the first editions of Twilight at a garage fair in Mystic Falls. She was sure the man would understand the hint. Bonnie's welcome gift was hidden in a small jewelry box. A silver necklace to which a pendant containing Enzo's blood can be strung. What she was wearing now seemed pretty shabby to Caroline. The last gift was another snow globe, much smaller than Stephanie’s. A scaled-down copy of Mystic Falls was inserted when someone shook it, snow began to fall in the sphere. The blonde just slipped it into her bag.

After packing everything up, she went down to the director's office. Alaric wasn't there yet. He must have had a morning workout with Hope Mikaelson. Klaus' daughter was also a student at the school. Caroline's heart sank as she thought of the man. He had also sacrificed himself for someone else, and although the blonde was not in love with the original vampire, she still had feelings for him, and the man was notoriously fallen into the girl.

After finishing reviewing the papers, she rolled her huge black SUV out of the garage, drove along Old Miller Road, and headed for the cemetery. She walked to the Salvatore family crypt. No one has been here today; the strange smell wasn’t noticed by her. Although they had arranged with Damon to visit his brother's grave together tomorrow, Caroline didn't want to miss today. She thought it was an evil joke of fate that Stephanie Salvatore's birthday coincided with the anniversary of Stefan's death. For both Damon and Caroline, this day brought endless joy and immeasurable sorrow at the same time.

The widow stroked the plaque, palpating each letter on the inscription of Stefan Salvatore. Memories rushed, but it didn't hurt so much anymore. The moments, the kisses as Stefan asks for her hand, twice, then the wedding, which was wonderful, until Katherine showed up. The two brothers, who still had an unbreakable bond between them, were willing to sacrifice everything for their loved ones, and it wasn’t up to Damon that Stefan eventually became the one who threw his life away from himself.

Caroline wiped a faint tear from her face, then set the snow globe on the small ledge under the board. She pressed her head to the cool granite slab and whispered a single sentence into the silence, hoping that wherever her love was, he would hear what she was saying.

“I'll love you forever!”

She was still standing in the crypt for a while, then headed for the Salvatore-Gilbert residence. She will take care of everything to make this day perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wel, what do you think? That was the hardest chapter for me. It was very long, but i cut it because i think it would be better that way. Damon has a good, specific humor and honestly, he is soo pathetic sometimes. But this is just my opinion. So Caroline now knows the truth about Damon and Bonnie. We will see what Damon thinks about Bonnie in the next chapter.  
> I hope you will enjoy this chapter too. 
> 
> Im sooo glad. I cant explain how much your comments mean to me. Thank you for everyone who left me a short comment at the end of the chapters. I really love to answer them, and i will answer all of them. Soo, thank you.


	7. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thank you so much for writing so many of me and keeping an eye on the story. It makes me so happy to know that others like what I do. It absolutely brightens my day when I see a new post coming to the story. I know the story builds up a bit slowly, but believe me it will be exciting by the end and accelerate. Someone wrote that this is a Delena story. In this chapter, I hope I can refute her. Now it turns out what Damon's thoughts are. How he feels about Elena and how he feels about Bonnie. What made him suppress his feelings, and why he feels Bonnie is better off without him, and why he feels he has to stay with Elena, but in the end ... Well, you'll see. Damon makes a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'You can't hide from me anymore,  
> you can't escape. I'm holding you.  
> You are a prisoner. And in my mourned grief  
> only your bondage can comfort you.
> 
> And that I don't even have to be evil:  
> if you want to run, I'll let you run.  
> And what a light heart! I already know:  
> I get back from my memories.
> 
> One gesture, one word, look…  
> in me, parts vibrating around me.  
> But if I want to, from them.  
> I can build the Whole.
> 
> You. And the room, the house,  
> also the street with the lame trees.  
> And the time of day… That's how I get it back  
> with a magical landscape around your body.
> 
> What can you hide from me? -  
> My eyes have learned the arc,  
> what your arm splits in the air  
> if you pull the shirt on.
> 
> And the path of rolling water beads  
> between abdomen and thigh, in the groove of the body,  
> when stretching, slowly  
> you get up after bathing in the tub.
> 
> I looted you, look at it,  
> I stole, behold, all your secrets.  
> I know your fearful, soft bite  
> the blood vessel under your skin.
> 
> And when you love: they breathe  
> steam. Crying, your little panting.  
> I learned you forever,  
> I don't know about you anymore, but you.
> 
> I know you and I know you  
> like the god who created it.  
> From vibration, shadow and color  
> I create again and again.
> 
> /Zoltán Zelk: I know you/

Chapter 6

**Reunion**

Damon studied the files in front of him in depth in his study. He tried to put together a picture of why the school’s students were disappearing. All the police reports what Donovan could get were the mourning reports requested from the city archives, and the whispered rumors weren’t enough to make it all together for him. There were still quite a few items missing from the puzzle. He really hoped it had nothing to do with the Travelers, though Bonnie would have said so. They talked on the phone every week or kept in touch in some form, yet Damon was terribly disturbed that the witch was not in the immediate vicinity. He worried about her, more than ever.

He knew only one thing about the Travelers for sure, they were very dangerous. There is no problem with one, but they traveled the world in teams, but they could do a lot of damage. They occupied entire cities because they were able to take control of the bodies of others. They simply occupied the inhabitants of Mystic Falls at the time without anyone noticing. And surely Damon had a very bad experience with that. Since Voldemort was also a traveler before the evil bitch turned into a vampire, she was able to occupy Elena's body as well. She tortured the elder Salvatore in selected ways even then, and of course the naive brother believed her, as he thought he was talking to the woman he still loved insanely at the time. Damon switched to self-destruct mode again because of it, and as it used to be, it cost the life of an innocent man. (He didn't even cry back to his compulsion to kill, nor the torturous hunger.) But it happened a long time ago. A faint memory that kept reminding the man of the horrors he had been able to commit in the name of the love, the embers of which had slowly cooled.

He turned on the Macintosh and while waiting for the computer to load, leaned back in his comfortable office chair with a tired sigh. On the huge oak desk, piles of paper lined up nicely. Damon always kept order around him because it made it easier for him to control the chaos that sometimes overwhelmed his soul and mind.

There were also a couple of smaller photos next to the files in beautiful silver frames. On one of these, he was seen with Elena on the day of their wedding. (How happy they looked… in the picture.) On the other, he held Stephanie in his hand. The two-year-old girl looked at her father with a wide smile, who laughed lovingly at her. The third image was one of Damon's favorites. He and Stefan. Someone (Bonnie) caught them at one of the parties as they hugged each other and laughed. That was the day Lilly, their mother, invited them to their house, and Bonnie joked that it would be a good little family photo if their mother, who had returned as a vampire, were also on it. None of the Salvatore brothers agreed. The fourth picture, on the other hand, depicted a memory when Damon was really happy. It was made on the anniversary of the opening of Salvatore school. The whole Scooby gang grinned on it along with the twins. The background was provided by the entrance to the former boarding house, and the facade of the boarding school was visible on the wall. Alaric and Dorian stood in the back, in front of them, hugging each other's waist tightly, Bonnie and Damon waving at the camera, and Caroline squatting with the twins in the front. Elena wasn't in the picture.

The machine still did not load properly. Damon straightened up in his chair and took the picture of the Scooby gang. Pride filled his soul as he looked at them. For the past seven years, the team members have become very close to each other, especially the “dynamic duo,” as Caroline called him and Bonnie. Every effort has been made to keep students safe in this very cruel world. Over time, Damon also learned that the monster is there in every human being, the question is how well we can control it. No one is innocent, and no one is born evil. He grew up. He has become able to take responsibility for others, reckon with the consequences of his actions, and think before he acts. Changed. He began to see the world differently than before. It was no longer an endless playground for him, where he could indulge his dirtier than filthy desires. He saw a world now that he looked around with a lot of wonderful things. He was surrounded by people who love him, who care about him, who count on him and trust him. Damon Salvatore’s world no longer revolved around Elena Gilbert, not for a long time. And the man knew full well that this was the real problem with his wife and with him.

The machine is finally loaded. Damon immediately called the yahoo. He looked at newspaper articles to see if they had any anomalies, and only curiously searched for the name Lucifer… and then closed the page immediately. He found pictures of hell, the devil, the Fall. He didn't like the thing at all. Yet how crazy can a person call his child Lucifer, and how crazy can a boy be to keep it?

All in all, not only were the Travelers what Damon worried about, but he already invisibly hated the guy who was hovering around Bonnie in Los Angeles. Luckily, the witch came from there, so no worries. So far, the little witch hasn't had a serious relationship. Although it was quite a selfish thing from him to consider that he was married (and of course he felt some guilt about it), deep down in his heart he didn’t want Bonnie to find someone to live her life with. The memory of the torturous jealousy was still vivid in him when he saw her with Enzo. He could almost see in front of him reaching into the man's chest and rip his heart out, then sticking it down his throat. Bonnie is his, and that is not changed by the fact that they are not together in the classical sense, because the Bennett witch has always been his, no matter what relationship they nurtured with each other. But Damon couldn’t afford the luxury of getting closer to the Bennett witch beyond a certain point, because Bonnie Bennett was already on Damon’s list of people to protect when only had one name on it: Stefan Salvatore.

He couldn’t play the same game with the little witch as he did with the Gilbert girl, he ran completely different laps with her. Oh, how much he loved their battles; Damon finally found a worthy opponent in her. She was always honest with him, she didn't want to manipulate him, she just wanted kill him, but he soon got over it. The fact that she would have been able to do it strangely excited the vampire, who still had a very dysfunctional personality at the time. Bonnie was strong; stronger than anyone he had met in his life so far and therefore he always admired her. 

This admiration became true affection when they were stuck there in 1994, and love when he came back alone. He had been torn for many weeks as to why he felt so awful without the witch, but what he told Caroline in the form of a fairy tale was true. He really understood how he felt about Bonnie when he saw the pancakes on the kitchen counter of the Salvatore house and she immediately jumped into his arms. He was almost struck by the realization of how much he longed to be with her, to hear her voice, to be able to touch her, and there, at the moment of meeting each other, he also longed to be kiss her.

He had to knock the disturbing thoughts out of his head immediately. Damon's primary project at the time was to restore Elena's memories so that they could live happily ever after until they… well, die. There was nothing that bothered him. They were working to build a common future, and it almost seemed that the imagined happiness he had never been a part of was finally being given to him. He was wrong.

For a minute, there was no question for him whether to let Bonnie die or not. It took time to figure out how to get rid of Kai. Eventually, it ended with a head-loss. A well-aimed blow that the arrogant, heretic, vampire-witch Gemini leader could not notice.

Breaking memories suddenly covered Damon's brain. He didn't want these feelings to come right today. Bonnie would come home and it would be a horrible issue out of it if, in a weak moment, something would happen between the two of them that they could both regret.

By the time he saw Bonnie almost every day, it was easy to maintain balance, but he knew from experience how it felt to see her after such a long time. He tried to focus on his tasks and opened the Grill folder. He retrieved the weekly revenue data from the central database so that he could then import it into an accounting program. But the memories themselves were pushed up. It was an orbitally big mistake to spit out to Caroline, Damon thought, but something made him finally tell someone the truth. Well, not everything, but the point. But since then, he hasn’t had a quiet moment. Memories, strange dreams, and the torment of guilt.

Damon elbowed himself on the desk and buried his face in his palms in agony. He blew out the air from his lungs for a long time, then leaned back in his chair, put his hands on the back of his neck, closed his eyes, then let his thoughts soar once for free. It doesn't hurt to clear your mind today. Maybe it will be easier to concentrate on the more important things as well.

After Elena Sleeping Beauty fell asleep, Bonnie survived. However, this put a lot of problems around Damon's neck. The witch didn't leave him alone, Elena wasn't around and every time he could smell the Bennett girl, a terrible hunger broke out on him. He never felt this similar thing before. After a while, not a day passed without thinking about the ways he would bite her, how to get rid of her clothes, and espouse her. In his quiet loneliness, drunken moments, he played by devising various postures that could make the witch's neck reach as comfortable as possible. He had to say Elena's name to himself as a mantra if he didn't want to go crazy.

Then came those three seconds.  
_Second 1_ : It ran through Damon's mind how much easier it would be if Bonnie died and Elena woke up.  
_Second 2_ : He saw Bonnie's lifeless, shattered, blood-frozen body.  
_Second 3_ : He saw himself pull his daylight ring off himself right in the middle of a sunny street to burn his body to ashes. (Of course he didn't tell Bonnie that.)  
He had to step. He had to put an end to the desire he felt for the witch. The attempt was ultimately crowned with success to his great surprise, and the torturous hunger never returned again after Bonnie's blood, his feelings subdued so he could no longer pose a danger to the girl. Damon Salvatore made a promise what he couldn't break.

What happened next? The hunger was gone, but no matter how many times he faced how much he loved the girl, waves of guilt slowly began to devour his soul. Not to mention that after a while he had to realize that this feeling is certainly not merely platonic. She shuddered at each touch, her heart beating harder when she was near him, blushing as many times as he kindly complimented her, and looked at him the way Elena did. That's why he had to leave. Because no matter how hard he tried, the witch didn't leave beside him.

Three years. He was in the coffin so far. As he desiccated, he could only think of the way Bonnie looked at him then, and that was the only sentence: _'You hurt me'_. He built a whole dream world around the girl in which he was really happy. She wanted Elena so much to be a character in that world, but she didn’t go. No matter how many times he wanted to recall his love’s long brown hair, big, dark, doe eyes, there was always someone else’s face floating in. Then he woke up, only to be greeted again by total chaos. He was determined. As long as Elena is asleep, Bonnie and he will live a full life. No matter how, they will be together. Well, yes. Of course, you can always plan until something comes up. Bonnie is dying, she is terribly angry with him, she almost hates him, a cursed, seemingly immortal vampire hunter is chasing his brother, and again everyone has to be saved. Then you succeed, but finally comes the total collapse: Sirens, Turn off, Arcadias, Hell, Turn on, Voldemort, Stefan. And the circle closed.

He suddenly opened his eyes. He reluctantly recalled that part. It was too much for him. The fear of hell was still not completely gone. He returned to the screen to verify the data was properly posted and then emailed Caroline for a final check. With the tax office, you better be careful.

His gaze slipped to the wedding picture. He took the photo in his hand and stroked it. He was still happy then… almost happy. The last real happy moment he spent with Elena was a few weeks after she woke up. As a young man in love, he threw himself into the relationship, waiting for the feeling that caught him when he first saw the girl that dark evening. He practically proposed her the next day. He was sure it was the right decision. He waited for her for so long that he didn't even think about it maybe they should get to know each other as human first. What habits do they have, how do they plan for their future, what will they do, how do they pay their bills, who on which side do they like to sleep on the bed, how many children do they want, etc., etc., etc.

The saying eventually proved true: Someone gets to know the other while living. Elena was a treble while Damon was pedantic. During military service, he learned how to keep order around him. Elena couldn't cook, and she'd better not even try it. Damon also learned it and turned out to have a great sense of cooking. Not in vain, Italian ascendants. The man got up early every morning to be able to run. He loved the half-hour he could spend alone listening to music to his liking, as his musical tastes didn't really match with the woman's, which wouldn't have been a problem if the songs Elena loved hadn't been booming all the time. It was enough for the girl to let go of a simple, sad lip tingle that Damon would immediately turn off the Queen hits and switch to David Getta, or some anonymous new performer whose renditions drove him crazy.

Elena loved lazy for long time, avoiding housework like the plague, but what hurt Damon the most was that his bride didn’t share his grief. Because of this, he couldn’t even be mad at her because she didn’t experience what they were. Luckily, Caroline was there and he could talk to her every day. He drove with Caroline from Whitmore to Mystic Falls once a week to go to Stefan. This has already become a ceremony for them. Sure, Elena didn't look at it with good eyes, but then Damon didn't really understand what could be wrong. She told him that it would just torture him, and it would be dangerous to go back to town and think more about who he was friends with. She would listen him, take care of him, but she couldn't go to Stefan with him. She doesn’t want to face what happened yet. For a long time she did not read the posts intended for her, which Damon was especially pleased about. He dreaded the day she would realize how a big monster he could actually be.

And there was to become a human. While Elena enjoyed her average life, Damon somewhere deep inside, simply felt empty, but didn't dare tell the woman. He missed the rush, the sweet feeling of freedom that he could do anything he wanted, and death now hovered over his head like the sword of Damocles. He shuddered at every noise as he walked the streets, afraid of people, almost panicking in the crowd for the first two weeks. Everything dulled around him; smells, tastes, touch, sounds. He lived as a vampire for one hundred and fifty years and missed it very much. The one who ended up over it was Bonnie. He had to call his best friend because she was the only one who had ever experienced something like this. The witch helped him understand what he was going through. He had a half-monthly salary for that phone conversation, but it was worth it. Slowly, things began to normalize, eventually he getting used to the new situation.

Well, then Bonnie Bennett. The most amazing, most captivating, most remarkable phenomenon who with Damon Salvatore has ever met. He never understood why men didn’t bounce in line for her. Oh yeah. Elena Gilbert, who has stolen almost all of her attention over the long lines. He knew because Bonnie had a lot to say about her childhood in the prison world.

He wanted so much to turn the wheel of time back, but he no longer knew where to go to get things right, because everything they went through together only brought them closer together, including the horrors Damon had done against her. And the man would never, ever have risked that relationship, even if he loved her very much. It was a pact that was silently concluded with each other. None of them will cross that particular line because it is worth more to them to be friends for the rest of their lives than to be lovers for hours on end.

But when Bonnie came back from the trip around the world, Damon was very close to breaking up with Elena, without the other's knowledge, of course; what the man was most afraid of happened, Elena read the diary entries. All of them. Then she destroyed him with a single sentence.

“How could you do that to Tyler?”

Damon didn't answer then. He just cried silently, he felt his soul fall into small pieces, he was in hell again. Elena didn't apologize for him, didn't want to understand, just looked at him like he would be a monster. A single sentence came out of his throat, hoarse, dry, like a disease.

“Read everything!”

He ended up that night at a bar near their apartment. He wrapped a whole bottle of bourbon alone and went to Bonnie at one o'clock, drunken. There he knocked on the door, shouting out loud, “ _Bon-Bon, open the door!_ ” By which time the slightly nervous and sleepy witch had finally appeared rumpled, sleepy, beautiful. There was still a trace of the pillow on her face, and she wore a silk robe on the swinging nightgown that did not cover her neckline. The light filtering from the hall played mischievously on her skin, dressing her in different colors: sometimes caramel, sometimes latte, sometimes golden brown. He almost did. He was drunk and didn't think. He missed tiny to press the witch against the wall, then kissed her passionately. Very tiny. Finally, the voice of ‘evil Stefan’ spoke, ‘ _You have a bride Salvatore!_ ’. So, without waiting for an invitation, he entered the door. He grew two steps in the living room of the small apartment, then dropped himself on the couch, holding in his hand a half-empty bottle of bourbon, which he handed to Bonnie.

“Do you want?” He looked at her questioningly.  
Bonnie bit her lower lip, making her look even sexier. She sighed, then shook her head and took the bottle from Damon.

“Hello, Damon! Come inside! Make yourself at home!” She said to the man with intense irony in her voice, then pulled the bottle. "Oh, hi Bonnie! How are you? I'm sorry to bother you so late.” Her sarcastic smile eerily resembled Damon, which made him laugh.

Then the smile subsided and he dropped his head to his chest.

“I'm a monster, Bon.” He couldn't hold back his tears anymore. There are few people in this world who have ever seen Damon Salvatore cry and still remember him. Bonnie was one of those few.

Bonnie slowly lowered the bottle from her mouth as she watched the man. She set the drink down on the small coffee table next to the couch, then sat down next to him. She dropped Damon’s arm around her shoulders and tilted her head to the man's chest.

“Did she read it?” She asked softly.  
Damon was surprised again that the witch knew him so well. She always saw behind the mask, unable to hide anything from her. It could have been scary many times, but now it was just fine.

"She did.” A short, concise answer came."

"You're not a monster, Damon just wounded, who sometimes makes mistakes. Very big mistakes.” There was a faint smile on Damon's face at this remark. “What covered you so much?

The man did not answer immediately. His hand stroked Bonnie's back, then drilled his head into her soft curls. Spring flowers and hope; the hope of salvation.

"Lockwood," he finally replied, resting his chin on his friend's head.

She felt Bonnie nod. They both knew there was nothing to say about it. What happened was happened. It wasn't Damon's fault, but he still killed the werewolf. Bonnie changed positions. She sat up on the couch, pulled her legs under her, and pulled Damon's head to her chest. There was nothing erotic in this embrace. Damon needed consolation from someone who understands what he was going through. Bonnie was with him in his most horrible hours, seeing the darkest part of his mind. Spiritually, he had completely discarded himself in front of the woman, and instead of terrifying him, it had given him safety.

Eventually, the woman stretched out on the couch, and Damon's head still rested on her chest. That's how they fell asleep. And this has happened quite a few times in seven years. The older Salvatore always hid at Bonnie when something really hurt him.

The next morning, Damon had a hard time recovering. He got some good advice and a very loud head wash from his friend, then went back to their apartment to talk to Elena. He managed to smooth things out with great difficulty, but it turned in Damon's mind, yet he hadn't chosen the right woman, so maybe he could turn things around now, since he's not a vampire anymore. But what if it doesn't work? What if Bonnie doesn't reciprocate his feelings? What if he loose her? Damon wouldn't have survived. When he became human all the feelings that had been swirling inside him became much weaker. It was as if someone had turned down the radio inside. However, one thing remained just as intense. His feelings for Bonnie. And the switch no longer existed.

One night he put the two women on the scales and Elena lost. Then the woman announced that she was pregnant and Damon’s well-structured plan collapsed like a card castle. He was simply happy and confused. He could not leave the woman he still cared about. He found himself in front of a cross again. He quickly reconsidered his situation, then they brought the wedding together in two months. Damon was like that, he made his decisions quickly, even if they weren’t the best, and he insisted on his choice.

And then came the wedding. The moment Damon just couldn't get out of his head. The only moment between them was when they knew exactly how they felt about each other. Of course, there were similar situations at other times, but it was very clear then. As Bonnie's body snuggled up while dancing, creating the perfect harmony between them, it was as if the universe had nodded in his head: _You made the wrong decision, again_. And that couldn't be fixed. He looked into those wonderfully bright eyes, and had no doubt what they both wanted from the other: love. The Bennett witch was close, too close physically and mentally to take the first step from which there was no going back, and he wanted to do it. Luckily, the always-sober, ready to do, careful Caroline grew between them in the blink of an eye. He sounded, but the blondie did not search. She diverted his thoughts nicely.

Afterwards, Damon decided everything would stay the same. He was a husband and a father. He had obligations to his family, he could not leave them alone. Throughout his childhood, he only listened that the man was the head of the family, he couldn’t bring shame on them, he had to protect them, and Damon was a loyal type anyway. But sometimes, in his quiet solitude, sitting on the porch in the evenings staring only at the stars, he couldn’t tell who he had betrayed: Bonnie, Elena, or himself.

But since Bonnie went “Travelerhunting”, things have gotten worse. He was worried and the feeling of loneliness increased. He became frustrated because his support was not next to him. It also left its mark on his relationship with Elena. He snapped at her many times. There have been quarrels between them over things like ' _why didn’t you take out the trash_ ', ' _your clothes are already being tossed apart again, _' and the like. Damon became more irritated and began to avoid his friends again. He stayed at the bar for a long time in the evenings so he wouldn’t have to go home. He kept thinking about what if something awful happened to Bonnie and he wasn't right next to her.__

____

__

Of course, Elena couldn't stand it without a word, and now her best friend wasn't there to help them. He realized much earlier that his wife was not what he had imagined. During their years together, he experienced how manipulative a woman can be if she wants to. Countered and careerist. The disguise of kindness and innocence obscured many things, and at the time, Damon was especially pleased that Elena was a little worse as a vampire than a human. But in their present lives, the illusions woven around the woman disintegrated pretty slowly. The pink mist dissipated in the light of gray everyday life, leaving no other but an apple rotting from within chewed by worms of jealousy, selfishness, and indifference.

Don’t get it wrong, Elena remained kind, she was a good mother to Stephanie, even though she couldn’t deal with her daughter much because of her work in the hospital. She did her best to keep her family safe, but if she wanted something, she always achieved it. It didn’t matter who or what she had to sacrifice for it.

She loved to be the center of attention. Damon noticed this when she dragged him to a hospital party a few times. She enjoyed the special attention she had received for her beauty, but she could always hide her satisfaction with a well-directed shy smile. However, the man was not blind. He’s seen too much of it before that he doesn’t recognize when someone is playing a role. He has been practicing it for almost two hundred years and performs great on the stage.

He could all live with that. He put up with his fate, accepting the fact that a part of his being would always love her. Their shared memories, everything they went through together, their relationship, their common child, connected him to the woman. The promise he had made so lightly to the girl that it would all last forever bound him, and Damon remained loyal to her.

This morning, however, he no longer knew what to do. Nothing had worked between them for a while, and he knew full well that this witch had nothing to do with it. Something was wrong with Elena, and neither was he. He felt that the gap between him and his wife could no longer be buried. He knew they had to talk, but he had no idea what to say to her. Until this morning, he worked hard to fix things because he was guilty. Now, however, he already knew that it wasn't all his fault. She hid something.

They have a lot to talk about tonight, he can’t leave things that much now. A wide smile spread across his face as he remembered that Bonnie was coming back and he could see her. It will upset his mental balance, but what will happen next. He may need to look for a good divorce lawyer. He'll talk to Donovan.

As he returned to reality from his thoughts, he was surprised to find that it was already half past ten. According to the baby monitor, Steph was still sleeping sweetly. He had to wake the little girl up later, while he was still working a bit in the kitchen for lunch. Bolognese spaghetti, hot dog with homemade croissant, straw potatoes, some fried vegetables, fruit bowl and of course the pancakes. These were scheduled for the birthday. Smaller sandwiches had to be brought from the Grill and drinks will also be delivered from there. Damon’s pin bourbon set also comes from there. (At Bonnie he even had a secret compartment, but no one knew about it).

After leaving the study, he walked to the basement, where he also kept a few blood bags in a small freezer. Just for safety, if the blondie might get hungry or have unexpected vampire guests. He checked the blood products for expiration. Once that was done, he went up to the kitchen and started picking up the ingredients for the hearty menu, called the Grill, and finally headed for Stephanie's bedroom. His little princess has a big day today. He can’t let anything overshadowed. He will be able to visit Stefan tomorrow. After all, his ashes are not going anywhere.

***

Bonnie parked silently in front of Maple Street 2104. It should have been called a palace rather than a house. Its whitewashed walls were held together by red bricks, and solar panels lined the roof, just enough to bury the house with electricity for a lifetime. The beautiful front garden was framed by a tall, evenly cut hedge that looked like it was properly cared for. The road to the entrance was paved with fruit stone, and on either side it occupied a large part of the front garden with colorful rose bushes swaying in the mild afternoon breeze.  
Bonnie got out and took a deep breath, then blew it out slowly. She walked to the trunk, from where she took out the gifts wrapped in the bag. Before halfway up the entrance, she stopped, shook herself, then murmured softly in front of her.

“It will work!”

As she walked down the road she couldn’t stop herself from smelling the roses. Even Damon and she planted them for Elena. The roses were rooted in magically impregnated soil and constantly exuded a good scent and did not freeze in winter. But the bushes now looked sick. Here and there a couple of dry leaves appeared, open, yellowed flowers. Bonnie had a very bad feeling.

Something was wrong with her friends, and as she thought back to her conversation with Caroline, she had to think it could be really big trouble.

Arriving on the porch, she heard voices from the back garden.

“Lizzi, watch out for Steph!” Caroline shouted. “This has to be taken to the other side! Be careful with the flowers!”

Bonnie smiled; Caroline settled down. She decided not to ring, instead circling the house taking care not to be spotted by the blonde's vampire ears. As he was greeted by the beautiful view into the back garden. Stephanie, Lizzi and Josie had a self-forgetful amusement in the three-part bouncy castle teleported with Disney princesses. This section was surrounded by a very tall, dense hedge, and a white wooden arch with flowers and balloons of different colors hung at its entrance. Three smaller round-shaped tables stood enclosing a triangle in the center of the garden, each laid out with pale purple tablecloths, with quirky puppets on top; Steph's favorite cartoon characters. The back entrance to the house was wide open, not far from it was a huge long table with sandwiches and some refreshments and the famous Salvatore pancakes lined up. 

The saliva in Bonnie's mouth ran from their scent. At the time, Damon wasn’t really great in the kitchen yet. Dinner was usually prepared by Bonnie in the ’94 prison world, but by the end, the guy got in well. He was able to make quite an edible breakfast. Today, however, he has become a master at making delicious food, but his pancakes have surpassed everything. It was a real gastronomic experience to taste them.

In front of the backyard stood an electric Toyota SUV from which muscular, well-conditioned young men lifted some drink cartons and beer kegs as if they had no weight. Bonnie suspected that school students had been hired for this task. Caroline was just handing out her bouncing orders to these two boys. The witch just smiled; her girlfriend didn't change.

She stopped at the long table, coughed, then spoke so softly that only Caroline's vampire ears could hear her.

“Caroline Forbes-Salvatore! Don't you greet your friend?”

The blonde froze for a moment, then turned around and threw herself around Bonnie's neck in the blink of an eye with a bright smile, almost upset the witch. Well, that's why the hedge was so high. There were things that were better for neighbors not to see.

Bonnie pressed herself tightly against her girlfriend's cool body. She missed Care's bone-chopping embrace, even though she had met her since the trip to Los Angeles.

“God, Bonnie!” Caroline said, still holding the other tightly. “I missed you so much.”

"Me too," the witch sighed.

Then she heard...

“Hey, Blondie!” His voice.

It was completely different to hear it in live. Bonnie knew almost every tone. She knew what it was like when a man spoke in a rather deep, humming voice, what it was like to scream like a small child when he roared like a lion. Each tone covered a different emotion.

There was a good shiver in Bonnie's body, as always, but now she was aware of it. Her heartbeat accelerated, which Caroline immediately noticed. She said nothing worthy of a good friend, just let go of Bonnie.

“Go!” She smiled at the witch. “He's looking forward to you!” There was a mischievous light in Caroline's eyes.

She immediately took the packages from Bonnie and disappeared in the blink of an eye. Bonnie walked slowly toward the kitchen patio. She was excited, but as she saw Damon, every scenario she had ever thought of herself had done in a mental trash. How could she think she was ignoring him for so long? Yet what the hell led her to exclude the person closest to her from her life? Now she knew she would be unable to do it. As she looked away from the man, her whole being was filled with warmth. She missed his sight so much. 

Damon was drinking from a water bottle. The light blue shirt he was wearing had just been buttoned out. It was a very hot June day. His hair was now shorter than usual, but it was also good for him. As he sipped the mineral water, a drop escaped at the edge of his mouth and headed down his chin, through his neck, through his chest, all the way to the beige linen pants where it was absorbed into the soft tissue. Bonnie fixed that one drop deeply until Damon opened his beautiful eyes. For a moment they both froze, then the man pulled his mouth to a sincere, wide, happy smile, then spread his arms.

“Bonnie!” Damon said appropriately.

"One and only" she replied.

The scene was eerily similar to the moment they first saw each other after Bonnie escaped from the prison world. As then, she jumped into the man's arms without thinking, clasped her legs around his waist, and drilled her head tightly into his neck. She was at home. Because Damon meant it to her: home and safety. It took a long time, but she finally realized that the man had always taken care of her. Being in the other’s arms again was an unspeakably good feeling and natural. She really didn't understand what she was so afraid of anymore.

Damon and Bonnie have been in the same dance for over ten years. They play a role in which they are enemies or friends. They orbit each other like the Moon on Earth: repulsion and attraction at the same time. And this dance is exciting, sometimes scary, with a lot of sacrifices, yet dizzying, intoxicating, holding something new every day, and most of all, safe. Because as much as Damon didn't want to lose Bonnie, the Bennett witch clung to that relationship at least as much, if not better.

***

Damon made the final touches to the spaghetti. It was very hot, his throat almost scratched from the dryness, plus it didn't help that the cooking was at least 40 degrees in the kitchen. He walked over to the refrigerator, then took out an almost iced bottle of water. At first he held it to his head to see if anything would cool him. He thought he was kidding with Caroline a little, and he wanted to tell her to have a little “air conditioning” for him. The blondie didn't respond to his cry, so Damon shrugged, pulling a good deal out of the water with his eyes closed. Taking a deep sip, he let the coolant flow through his body, but suddenly the back of his neck began to tingle, then a very familiar scent hit his nose: spring flowers and hope. She forgot everything: the birthday, the cooking food, how hot he was and even the fact that he was Elena Gilbert’s husband.

He slowly lifted the mineral water from his mouth and turned carefully to the side. There stood before him the most wonderful woman in the world. Those beautiful green eyes stared at only him. Damon was overwhelmed by boundless happiness; Bonnie came home and the world order was restored. He spread his arms wide so she could jump into his lap. As he drilled his head into the wavy curls, he pressed tiny kisses on her head. He reached under the swinging top of the girl with his palm, but the movement was unintentional, he hugged her neck with his other hand. That's how he held Bonnie in his arms as something changed.

His body betrayed him, again. Touching and seeing your best friend again after such a long time was dangerous for several reasons. First, his not-so-friendly feelings for the witch, which he had always been able to sweep under the rug, broke at once, and then his body reacted to his feelings, which, given how long he had been hungry for sex, didn't make it any easier in his determination to keep their relationship platonic for a lifetime. He missed the witch so much! All the cartilage in his body longed for him to finally see her, and he just wanted to embrace her until the world ceased to exist around them.

He has to put Bonnie down, otherwise they will be in a very awkward position! He has to do something because the woman will literally feel how happy he is, that is, physically. Just another second. She just wouldn't smell so good, her skin wouldn't be so snackingly beautiful.

A very familiar image crept into Damon’s mind: the morning shower-sex dream. And it finally fell for him. He's going to kill Caroline. Yes, this will be the right move. He kills the blondie because it's all her fault. Because Damon finally realized who he had been dreaming about for two weeks: Bonnie Bennett.

Recognition finally spurred him to action. He allowed themselves so many self-forgotten moments because keeping his friend longer no longer seemed healthy. He slowly lowered her to the floor, holding Bonnie's face in both hands with a mischievous smile on his face, then spoke.

“The prodigal girl has returned home.”

Bonnie chuckled and placed her palm on the man's wrist.

“I'm finally home, Old Man.”

Damon gave her scanning gazes, raised her arms, and felt her body as if to check that all her cartilage was intact. Bonnie rolled her eyes to make the man rotate back and forth, then stopped him with a tired sigh.

“Damon, I'm fine. Believe me, I can take care of myself!”

The man now grabbed the woman's face in his two palms again, looked deep into her eyes, then uttered the only spell he had learned.

“Viit!”

Bonnie rolled her eyes again.

“I don't have a traveler in my head.” She bit her lower lip and tilted his head to the side. "I don't think they could occupy my brain."

Damon made a mocking grimace, but immediately smiled.

"Well, Bon-Bon, I'm glad you're back safe and sound." He raised his index finger threateningly at her, leaning so close to her that their noses almost touched. “But if you disappear from the orbit again without a single word, you will wake up to the Despacito every day for a year, over and over again.” Damon pursed his lips with a devilish grin.

Bonnie shook her head.

“Noooo, you wouldn't dare do that.” She pulled her head back a little as she leaned on the kitchen counter.

Despacito was the song Elena listened to almost at the same time every day, driving both Damon and Bonnie crazy. They were already there to beg to Caroline to compel someone to delete the clip from all possible platforms.

“Oooo, Bon-Bon! You little naive.” Damon tapped his finger on the woman's nose, which slapped her hand on it. “You pretend if you wouldn’t know me.”

Bonnie grimaced. They continued where they left off a year ago.

“Oh… oh!” He raised his head suddenly.

He walked to the fridge while talking to Bonnie.

“I made you a wonderful welcome gift.” He opened the door and took out the special pancake.

He put it down in front of Bonnie and waited with a grin for the woman's reaction, which was not left behind. The witch looked at the vampcake and got her hands in front of her mouth.

Every morning, for four months while they were in Another Mystic Falls, Damon made the same pancakes for themselves for breakfast, and Bonnie said every day she hated his pancakes, but she always ate them nonetheless. Because the truth was that in the beginning she really hated it, she was bored, but it became a ritual between them that none of them wanted to interrupt. After a while, Bonnie was already waiting for the mornings because it gave her permanence and safety. When he learned what Damon had done on May 10th, 1994, she also realized that pancakes were not merely pancakes, but symbols of atonement. At once it became clear to her that the older Salvatore regretted what he had done, and whoever was capable of true repentance could not be a monster. It was then that she first saw really behind the mask that Damon was wearing. After that, the man could no longer hide from her. He tried for a while, but eventually gave up and Bonnie became Damon's confidant. The Bennett witch became the woman to whom the ex-vampire told everything (almost everything) because he could not hide from her.

So there was everything in that vampcake. Their love and respect for each other, the horrors and adventures they experienced together. It was the perfect welcome gift. Bonnie looked at Damon with mixed admiration and gratitude, and he smiled back kindly. There was no need for words.

Then Bonnie sighed, took the lid off the plate, and looked at the man questioningly.

“Did you think I would eat it by hand?”

Damon began to sneer and went to get a fork for the girl. As he walked toward the drawers, he managed to calm himself down. He will be excited for a few more days, but the situation will return to normal. The same thing happened when Bonnie came back from the prison world, when, after three years of desiccation, he finally dared to go to her (That he would find her in Enzo's embracing arms. Pfew!), And then when she came home from her trip around the world and finally when she stayed at Whitmore to study for her final exams. There will be no problem; feelings under the rug, problem solved.

He pulled out the drawer and took out a dessert fork. When he closed it back, he put his finger straight on it to see if the momentary pain would help divert his attention from his aching groin. Unfortunately, the linen pants weren’t swinging enough to cover everything. The trick worked, so he could go back to the little witch.

“Here you are!” He handed the fork to Bonnie.

She nodded thankfully. She swallowed a piece of the delicious cookie and lifted the bite to her mouth, then finally grabbed it. Damon watched every little movement. He shouldn’t. Bonnie closed her eyes and as she tasted the food, satisfaction sat out on her face.

"Mmmmm," she murmured contentedly. “It's heavenly.” She cut another piece, then grabbed it.

Damon's mouth went dry. The problem literally hit his head up again. He didn't know what to do. His feelings had never captivated him so intensely. As he overlooked his “best friend,” tasting the pancakes, pulling the bite off the fork, he thought he had never had a more sensual experience in his life. He had to wet his mouth.

Bonnie suddenly got her head to the side. Her friend showed a very strange face.

“What is it?” She asked with some concern in his voice.

Damon reacted a little late. He shook his head and, accompanied by a half-smile, pointed to the remaining cookies.

“Nothing. Eat your pancakes!”

Damon went to the fridge. He took out another mineral water because he was suddenly very hot. As he sipped the coolant, he remembered an old game.

“So, Bon-Bon! What did I put in it?” He asked teasingly.

Bonnie knew the game. In Another Mystic Falls, the answer to this question was usually blood. It was as if the man had really instilled some life-giving human juice into the dough, but for the most part he was just joking. However, ever since he took over the Grill and the pancakes became famous the issue has hinted at experimentation.

The witch swallowed the bite thoughtfully. She tasted the dough slowly to figure out what ingredients it might have made up.

“Hmm. I think there's a little lemon in it.” Waiting for an answer, she looked at Damon, who nodded in agreement. “Then I feel some cinnamon.” He nodded again. "Like…" Bonnie's eyes widened in recognition. “You put lavender in it. I feel.”

"Just a pinch." Damon winked and touched his index and thumb.

The man walked over to the woman. He took the empty plate and put it in the dishwasher. In the meantime, they chatted.

"And what has happened to you since I didn't see you?"

“Damon, we talked every week.” Bonnie stepped beside him and whispered in his ear. "The others only belong to the Scooby band."

As the witch's warm breath caressed her ears, Damon could only keep thinking: Today he won't talk to Elena if it needs, he will rape the woman, but he will lie down with her. He can't take this anymore!

Of course, the change in the man's body was felt by Bonnie as well.

“What about you?” She asked in amazement. “You're acting so weird.” She put her hand on his shoulder and continued to ask in her voice with some concern. “Hey! What's wrong?”

Damon leaned on the sink, lowered his head, then turned to face his friend. He took her hands and looked deep into her green eyes. He noticed a strange glitter in them, but did not search. It was good for him that the witch was home. He had only been waiting for this for a year. He will be able to solve things as always. But he felt it was going to be a lot harder this time.

“There's nothing wrong, Bon-Bon!” He gently pulled her into his arms. There was no resistance, no tension.

They’ve hugged so many times before that it was really natural for both of them. The warmth of the other’s body gave them safety.

Bonnie sighed deeply as she inhaled the man's spicy scent.

“I missed you! I missed you so much!” Damon told her.

“You too to me, Old Man!”

So they stood for a while, almost clinging to each other, until the noise of tiny footsteps tore them out of the idyll. A five-year-old little girl walked into the kitchen. Damon couldn't have denied she was his. The features of Stephanie's face were almost reminiscent of Damon's, her mouth was the same shape, and if she broke her head on something mischievous, Damon Salvatore's half-smile sat on the little girl's face as much as her father's. She could inherit the long, blond, wavy curls from the Gilbert ancestors, even though Elena also had dark hair. Her eyes, however, shone as green as Stefan's. She looked kindly at the world which today revolved only around her.

As Bonnie sensed the closeness of little Steph, she immediately tore herself away from Damon. She walked over to the little girl, who, out of surprise and suddenly bursting with happiness, formed a large “a” with her mouth and held out her right hand toward the witch. She grabbed it, squatted down in front of her, and pressed the small palm to her face.

That's when the two of them started talking without words. Stephanie called this a headspeak, but Bonnie didn't know how to call it any different. It was more than a mind reading. They could share feelings, words, mood. It was as if their souls and minds were connected.

‘I missed you, Aunt Bonnie.’ The little girl conveyed her worries and feelings of lack to the witch. ‘You too.’ Bonnie showed her pictures. Memories of moments spent together. The common teas, the hiding places as Bonnie first embraced her as a baby. She felt infinite love for Stephanie, which she had just given her. As soon as the ‘conversation’ was over, the witch hugged the little girl tightly.

Damon was still leaning against the sink, watching them touched. As he watched the two girls he loved the most, he made a decision quickly again, overwriting all his resolutions so far. Caroline was right. He can't lie to himself or to Elena all his life. What he ever feels or has felt for Bonnie is not his wife’s fault. Any of the women don’t deserve to live a lie, even if the man thinks so this is the best. Smiling under his mustache, he thought that the one leading to hell was paved with good intentions, and Damon didn't want to get back there.

He needs to talk to Elena, and then there will be what will be. He’ll tell Bonnie how he really feels, even when she laughs (by far that was the worst-case scenario that ever turned in Damon’s mind). But not today. It will be a perfect day, it will come tomorrow. 

But man proposes, and Lucifer Morningstar's father disposes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, God! That was the hardest chapter i ever wrote. I wrote in the last two chapter in one. So, originally Caroline thoughts and Damon's were in one. Because this chapter put on end of the Part I of this story. We know every main caracter, we know already what happened in the past seven years. Every actors and actress stood on the stage and the rug is rolling up:) We ended the reunion of Damon and Bonnie. 
> 
> Sooo, how do you like it? Is this a Delena story? Or not? Write me! I doesn't want to make my Damon as an OOC caracter. I hope i catch them. I am trying my best on it. But as Yoda said do it or not but never try:) 
> 
> In the next chapter: A new caracter will show up:D Who will be the mysterious very old person? Oh, yes. One detail: He is my own caracter, as Stephanie. I stole from TVD (or Legacies) only her name. The middle name of her also is mine. Have a nice day and good reading:D 
> 
> I add some hungarian music for this. Here is the youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOTKNTuVkes&list=RDMMJOTKNTuVkes&start_radio=1
> 
> And the lyrics in english
> 
> 'How is Long the day  
> Which will pass without your kiss,  
> How It's a long way  
> What you do to my doorstep.
> 
> It's a long minute while you hug  
> While you're telling me everything,  
> While you return to me out of your troubles.
> 
> Time is running out  
> Then saying goodbye again is so hard,  
> Who loves so  
> All of that is little from the other
> 
> If you knew how much I was waiting for you,  
> Maybe you could hurry to me even better,  
> The minute is so happy  
> If you hug me, darling.'


	8. The devil, the spawn, the doppelgangers and the Bennett witches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waow! How fast was I? Well, that was easy to translate because it’s a very short chapter. It takes us to the next stage. From here, events accelerate. And at the end of the chapter we can find out what peace is like ...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Without father, without mother  
> without God or homeland either,  
> withour crib or coffin-cover,  
> without kisses or a lover.
> 
> for the third day - without fussing,  
> I have eaten next to nothing.  
> My power are my years.  
> I sell all my twenty years.
> 
> Perhaps, if no one else will,  
> the buyer will be the devil.  
> With a pure heart - that's a job,  
> I may kill and I shall rob.
> 
> They'll catch me, hang me high,  
> in blessed earth I shall lie,  
> and poisonous grass will start  
> to grow on my beautiful heart.'
> 
> /Attila József: With a pure heart/
> 
> Translater:Faminehill

Chapter 7

**The devil, the spawn, the doppelganger, and the Bennett witches**

_2000 years ago…_

Castillus ran. The chiton swung back and forth on his body, the tag slammed hard on his feet, leaving a deep mark on the sand, his raven-black, curly curls clinging to his forehead. His bright, baby-blue eyes focused on only one thing: the wedding venue, the garden he had created with his friend.

He was afraid of. What he was afraid of, he was terrified. He realized his brother's terrible plan, and if Quetsiyah learned of it, it could have catastrophic consequences. He knew his friend, he knew how much she loved Silus, together they dreamed of how happy a life they four would be. Castillus marries with Amara, Quetsiyah marries Silus, and then they live happily together for eternity as a family. Two things were not right with this dream. Castillus was no longer in love with Amara, nor was Silus reciprocating Quetsiyah's feelings, but it was too late to do anything against the events. The spell of immortality was completed, and Castillus only today realized the truth about himself and his brother. Now he can only do one thing: he has to stop the wedding.

When he finally found the place, he already knew it was too late. He was greeted by a terrible sight. The wonderful garden was dying. Castillus saw withered flowers, barren land, and wilderness. The man's whole body was filled with anger because his younger brother eventually betrayed the person who was most important to Castillus in the world.

The blue eyes flashed red, and suddenly huge, fiery red wings protruded from his back, which could span up to ten meters. The man waved his wings and then rose high. He had to find the woman he loved more than anything.

***

The wheel of time turned, the ages came, then passed. Mortals waged meaningless wars, founded religions in the name of which millions were massacred. They built huge buildings to reach their god, whom they didn’t even know. The world was dominated by greed and fear of loss.

But in beautiful silence, without the knowledge of mortals, another world was created, a world of shadows, a society of supernatural beings who still had the divine spark. Witches, werewolves, vampires and so many wonderful creatures covered in obscurity. Among these forgotten beings was Castillus a half-creature: half-celestial, half-human. The first of the hybrids that remained on the Earth.

Throughout history, he saw the success of Lillith's dopelgangers. He felt the blood of Quetsiyah's descendants cling to his hand because he failed to break the curse. Those who should have protected this bloodline all failed. The witches died early and had a life full of suffering. The descendants were left with only the curse and the purity of their souls. Castillus made sure there was always someone to carry the name on: Bennett. But there was nothing more he could do. He couldn’t let anyone reveal him if Lillith realized she was alive, there would be no place on Earth and in Heaven where she could hide.

Hope, however, flashed in his eyes one fine day. The hope that maybe someone will be able to break the curse wins the dissolution and the Protectors finally wake up. Everything was given to the recipe: The two brothers, who are also his and Silus' doppelgangers (how this could have happened, Castillus had no idea at the time), Petrova's doppelganger, and a Bennett witch. However, the joy was too early. The relationship between the boys and the Bennett witch was not close enough, and Petrova's doppelganger’s strength was very strong on them. 

But Castillus set off events. A tiny intervention, a single domino swing that was enough to trigger the collapse of Lillith’s plan. It’s always everything part of a big plan that’s part of an even bigger plan, and so on and so on. Castillus learned this well. Between the eternal battles of his father and grandfather, he decided to go his own way. He is implementing his own big plan.

***

1864 Mystic Falls, Virginia

_Dear Diary!_

_Today I saw Him again. They were just playing with Miss Katherine. My heart breaks when I think about what my Mistress is planning to do with him. His soul is so innocent, so beautiful. From his smile, even the sun shines more beautifully in the sky. He is simply perfect. How can Miss Katherine ruin something so clean?_

_I can’t stand it anymore, but I can’t tell anyone. It would be too dangerous. And I love Him so much. My heart always beats faster when I hear his voice or see him playing with his brother. Poor Stefan. My Mistress was completely drawn to her spell, as was Him. You see, I don't even dare describe his name._

Emily Bennett heard a sudden noise. A tree branch crackled near it. Frightened, she poked his diary under her skirt, then stood up from the ground. She thought she was hiding deep enough in the woods for no one to find her. Now someone is still walking among the trees.

The Bennett witch peered around as she looked at in front of herself again, even her breath stopped for a moment. He stood before her as Mr. Damon Salvatore. The young man was dressed in full black. His raven-black, curly hair reached down to the nape of his neck and was held together by a buckle. A mysterious half-smile played on his beautifully incised face, which was as if it had been carved by angels.

“Mr. Salvatore?” Emily asked in surprise.

The man smiled broadly.

“Not quite.”

He took a step toward the Bennett witch than she backed away and collided with the tree where she had written down her most personal thoughts. ‘What does that mean not quite?’ Emily asked herself. The man stepped even closer to her, slowly stealing the distance between the two of them. She was scared, not knowing what to think. Young Salvatore never looked at her like that, and even very rarely, they looked at each other. However, the one standing in front of her peered as if he wanted something from her, and the mysterious smile did not slip from his face.

“Miss Bennett!” The man's voice was deep and reassuring, as was Damon's. "My name is…," he paused here for a moment, as if taking a deep breath, but then closed his mouth and shook his head. “My name doesn't matter. I know your grace is a witch, and I also know that Miss Katherine is a vampire.”

Emily whimpered softly in surprise. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened a crack. ‘How does this man know so much?’ Now she was sure that the one in front of her was not Damon Salvatore.

"You don't have to be afraid of me," he said reassuringly, and Emily believed him. “I would like to help.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a yellowed parchment from there, then handed it to her. "When the time comes, perform the spell! This protects themselves.” Emily slowly took the parchment as he continued to speak. “It has everything you need to know. And please don’t tell anyone you ever saw me.”

The crystal blue eyes dug deep into Emily’s. She found again that she had never seen anything more beautiful than this. Then that was it. The man suddenly disappeared, and the Bennett witch never remembered ever seeing another Damon Salvatore.

***

And time went on. Castillus watched for a century and a half how the brothers suffered, all because of a Petrova doppelganger who, in turn, lived her life happily, further manipulating those around her. Sometimes with kindness, sometimes with cruelty, when she felt like it. Castillus hated Katerina Petrova.

She made a wreck from his doppelganger and the other became a ripper. It seemed like it was going to be irreparable, and Castillus failed forever, but then…

Each time Damon took news of the birth of a new Bennett witch, he returned to Mystic Falls. For the first time in millennia, the half-creature began to hope. The two brothers, though they were not too close, their ties were not torn. They longed for each other’s company, and life always dragged them close to each other. Elder Salvatore not only watched the Bennett witches, but also his brother. It was more than you could have hoped for.

Then something happened in the ’50s that changed Damon. He broke it in such a way that Castillus gave up his plan for good. There is no magic or divine help that can correct this; all hope is lost. The man became a cruel killer, a monster. He was not interested in anything and no one. The turned off Damon Salvatore has become the worst nightmare of any living and breathing human being. Wherever bloodless corpses of innocent people went wherever they went. No one could know when evil would knock him down. He wasn't driven by bloodthirst, just the joy of killing.

Because when he saw life fly away from a human being, he also faced the mortality he lost. In the brief moment when his victim's heart was pounding one last time, he felt something outside the vast emptiness that gaped in the place of his soul.

Castillus gave up. There was not much time left to break the curse. He was given an ultimatum: either he managed to break the curse until the last counterparts came, or he was forced to serve forever with Lucifer. But it took a lot to break Lilith's curse. The recipe was not easy, and for Castillus it seemed almost impossible to accomplish.

But fate always holds strange twists. In February 1992, a Bennett witch was born in whom the divine light seemed to be embodied. The birth of the tiny baby triggered a shock wave on the different planes of existence, the wind of change hitting every corner of the known world. Castillus had no choice but to wait. If Bonnie Bennett isn’t going to be able to break the enchantment of the doppelgangers either, he will have to give up permanently to find peace in Silver City.

***

May 8, 1994 in Mystic Falls, Virginia

Damon Salvatore wanted to go home. He felt again, and the only emotion he was able to focus on was his love for his brother. He called Stefan, promising himself that he would change. He was able to drink from people without killing them. He set up a simple set of rules: Catch, eat, delete. His desire to kill also subsided when he thought of his brother, so he ended up in Mystic Falls again.

When he arrived at the town, he had to find that not much had changed since he had last been here. Of course, some of the buildings became newer, cars also took on a more modern form, and the town was expanded with a new residential park. However, Mystic Falls is still a dusty little nest of unworthy, insignificant mortals that Damon could not stand. It meant only one thing to him: a source of food. Fine, two-legged blood sacs that could be killed in the blink of an eye. He could decide on their lives and deaths; that was the real power.

It was already twilight when Damon parked his sky-blue Camaro next to a playground. He was not yet ready to meet Stefan after such a long time. He was angry with his brother for not rescuing him, and that anger was embodied in hunger. Before visiting the Salavatore boarding house again, he must feed; he longed for fresh human blood, right from the carotid artery. Almost in his mouth he felt the delicate, warm juices of his next victim. A loud shout yanked him out of his thoughts.

"Bonnie Bennett, come on now!" The black woman's voice was both angry and worried.

The name hit Damon's ear, and he suddenly remembered the promise he had made to Emily Bennett. He hadn’t thought about the Bennett witches for decades, and a familiar, hateful sense of guilt burst into him. He made a promise he could not break. There were few sure points in his life: his unquenchable love for Katherine, his love for his younger brother, and his strange relationship with the Bennett witches, which he didn't understand to this day. Something always encouraged him to pay attention and take care of them. Of course, deprived of his humanity, he wasn’t really interested in anything but eating and revenge.

Driven by a sudden determination, he jumped out of the car. It's time to catch up, he thought. As he walked past the car, he took a closer look at the desperate woman in the middle of the playground. She was young and extremely pretty. Her wavy black hair had just reached her shoulders, and the color of her skin was a much lighter shade than he thought based on her voice. Fear was reflected in her eyes as she turned her head back and forth. Damon thought she was definitely looking for someone. Probably her little daughter.

Next to the playground were tall bushes. The vampire was now spying on these bushes, taking care not to notice the woman. He listened hard to see if he could hear anything. He also scanned his eyes. Waiting for a while, the bushes began to move and a soft cry filtered out of the leaves. Damon started in the direction of the voice. He even found the little girl. He smiled contentedly at himself, then went deeper into the bush. The little girl squatted on the ground, the branches scratching her face and hands, but her injuries were not dangerous. The screaming blood didn't bother the vampire. It was an unwritten rule not to feed a child, no matter how warped someone may be.

Damon slid behind the little girl's back and touched her shoulder gently. The jumping child shivered in fright. She quickly got her head back, then immediately stopped crying. That’s when something happened to Damon that he had never experienced before in his entire vampire existence. Time paused for a moment as he looked into the little girl's vastly broad, beautiful green eyes. The older Salvatore brother was possessed by a sense of peace, a sweet memory of the warmth of home. Their eyes pierced with the little girl, and he knew only one thing, he had to protect her.

The little girl smiled at him, not scared of him. This shocked the man so much that he suddenly did not know what to do.

“Hi! The little girl greeted him. “Who are you?”

Damon smiled back. ‘Interesting reaction’, he thought to himself. He didn't understand what was going on in him.

“Hi!” He greeted back, still smiling. "I'm the stranger you shouldn't talk to! Hasn't your mom told you that yet?

The little girl chuckled. Damon liked this laugh; he wasn't so hungry anymore.

“What is your name?” He finally asked the little girl.

"Bonnie Shiela Bennett," the other replied. In a thin little voice, she said politely, like she had practiced how to introduce herself many times.

Damon held out his hand. He lifted from the ground the tiny, little human being who barely reached his knees. Bonnie wore long jeans with a small floral embellishment on her knees. At the top was a T-shirt on with Cinderella and she wearing a pink knitted cardigan. She obediently placed her left hand in the Damon’s, while in her right she clutched a beige teddy bear. They went out of the bushes with small steps, a little tumbling. The vampire didn't want anyone else to notice, so as they got out next to the playground, he squatted down in front of Bonnie and showed her where her mom was waiting.

“A good advice Bonnie Shiela Bennett!” He said for goodbye to her. “Next time, don't talk to strangers! Especially not with people like me.”

The little girl nodded, then sent a bright smile to Damon, with which she quickly turned on her heel and ran toward her mother. The vampire was still watching the mother and her daughter for a while, then sat back in his car. It was dark, it was time to hunt.

But from now on, the “heartless” vampire always kept half his eyes on the girl. He saw her at the age of six laughing selflessly with her girlfriends, and then when no one saw her, Bonnie retired to sob because she missed her mom. He saw her at the age of nine, grieving because her teddy bear had disappeared on its bareback. Then he saw her perform her spells for the first time at the age of seventeen. Bonnie Bennett grew up before his eyes, becoming a beautiful young girl, then a wonderful, smart woman, and finally the strongest witch in the world.

***

There was someone else who followed them over the decades. From a distance, he watched the relationship between the witch and the vampire evolve. On the day of the first meeting, the bond was formed, and Castillus now had to wait patiently for the two of them to fulfill their destiny.

He didn't have to pay attention to Stefan. His younger brother’s doppelganger, though he became a cruel killer when he drank human blood, was full of goodness and kindness, as was Silus once, until Amara persuaded him to become a traitor. Lilith's doppelgangers did not need evil plans or deception. Through their beauty, innocence, and fascination, they have always achieved their goal. It was hard to figure out their real intentions. But over time, their true selves always emerged from behind the frosted exterior. They were all selfish, nothing could distract them from their goal. Castillus watched for two thousand years as the doppelgangers manipulated the people around them, and although at first they seemed innocent, in the end each showed their tooth.

When he met Elena Gilbert, he thought this girl would be different. She radiated sincere kindness, she was normal with her friends, she supported them in everything. She showed no sign of having ulterior motives. He thought that Stefan's turn with Katherine, and the fact that the bond had formed between the Bennett witch and Damon, might have changed something. But it didn't happen that way.

As both brothers met the Gilbert girl, history repeated itself. Castillus was just waiting to see when the mask would fall off Lilith's doppelganger. He didn't have to wait long. She was the first to persuade Stefan to drink her blood, turning the younger Salvatore into a ripper again. She then fooled the elders as well, then after a seemingly endless tug of war, choosing Stefan, he completely crushed Damon, and then finally chose the “bad” brother as a vampire. And that's not the end of the story. It’s just icing on the cake because these weren’t exactly conscious decisions. But it was already the fact that she dismissed the memory of her love for Damon, that she had given the vampire an ultimatum: either to take the cure, or to lose him, and it was an extremely conscious decision to restart Augustine's experiments as well.

But Castillus noticed something else. In the background, the bond strengthened. An extremely close relationship was established between Damon Salvatore and Bonnie Bennett, and Stefan eventually realized that the woman he wanted to live his life with was not Elena Gilbert. The plan has worked. Slow water, washes shore. There was only one thing left, and Castillus was just waiting for the right time.

***

June 15, 2024 in Mystic Falls, Virginia

Castillus stood in the Salvatore family crypt. He lit his glowing blue eyes around the tombs erected by the deceased members of the Salvatore family. Today, the second phase of his plan can finally take effect. Events are turning in his favor.

He looked at the stone under which a diary had been buried not so long ago. He squatted down, then moved the stone so that the diary peeked out from under it. He did not yet know who would discover Dr. Elena Gilbert-Salvatore's diary, but whoever found it would get what was described in would reach the elder Salvatore's ear as well.

Castillus knew that the magic that had swung around the Petrova doppelganger had worn out for some time. He thanked Kai Parker in secret, because thanks to him, the Bennett-Salvatore bond became indestructible. Damon’s hell tour also proved they would be able to do anything for the other. The last seven years seemed like just a half-hearted foreplay for Castillus. It just served to make the embers cool completely in the Salvatore-Gilbert relationship.

At the end of today, something has to happen. He has been preparing for this day for two thousand years. He felt the change in his gut that would bring him the coveted peace and at the same time he can save Quetsiyah too.

***

Same day evening in Los Angeles, California

Lucifer swirled the glass full of brown liquid in his hand before pulling much of it. His face was grim. He sat at the bar counter in his suite as if all the burdens of humanity were pressing on his shoulders and he was not far from the truth. His job was punishment and he was already very bored. He hated that people thought of him as a monster and he was being blamed by mortal mortals for every single sin they had committed. Lucifer wanted to get rid of that burden, so he decided to leave the hell and not come back this time. Plus, he can't do it yet.

To his great surprise, the problem of the supernatural world was torn down his neck again. It was a long time ago when he interfered in the affairs of these special beings. He only respected them one degree more than mortals because they reminded him too much of his home. But he found the Bennett witch was extremely interesting. There was something very special about her. She radiated extraordinary strength and perseverance, which made her irresistibly attractive. It seemed the little witch was not afraid of anything. But for Lucifer, the witch was taboo. He dared to risk a lot against his father, as he incited a rebellion against him, but he did not. He knew the Bennets were part of the protected bloodline, and he shouldn't touch Bonnie with a single finger. It wasn't as if she had left him and the devil just liked her anyway, he wasn't captivated by deep emotions for her. 

Not so the girl after the Salvatore brother. He felt a little sorry for the witch after their first meeting. He knew full well that Bonnie could have done anything, she couldn't have broken the enchantment of the doppelgangers. Of course, he didn't tell her that literally. If the woman can read between the lines, she will understand. Castillus said Lilith's curse could be broken, but Lucifer thought he was struggling unnecessarily. If no supernatural being with such power is able to break the enchantment of the Petrovas, it is a lost cause and time will soon run out.

According to the prophecy that Lucifer believed was bullshit, the coming of the last doppelgangers would result in Lilith’s deliverance. If the curse is not broken by then, the ancient witch will destroy the supernatural world. The time of the last doppelgangers was near. By then, a solution should be found provided the prophecy is true.

However, he and Castillus made a deal. Lucifer hides Castillus until he solves this “little” problem, and if he fails to do it in time, Castillus joins the service of hell. Lucifer secretly, in the depths of his soul, cheered for the half-angel because he did not want to his soul to be damned.

Suddenly a flutter of wings slapped his ear, then a lot of things happened at once. The glass flew out of his hand and slammed into the gold-plated marble column next to the bar. The wind rose, but so strongly that it moved the couch in the middle of the suite, and then Lucifer sensed someone trying to read in his mind. It was hard to resist.

He turned in his chair and at that moment even held his breath. His eyes widened, his face stretched. He had not seen the man on the balcony for a very long time. He stood in the doorway of the balcony in a black jeans, a collarless, half-unbuttoned shirt, a mocking, confident half-smile on his face as he stared his bright blue eyes at Lucifer.

"Castillus," Lucifer whispered in surprise.

“Hello dad!” The answer came, and a smile spread even wider in his mouth.

***

Lucifer watched in shock for seconds as his son, whom he hadn't spoken to for two thousand years, slowly walked toward him, tossing a gold wedding ring in his hand. The mocking smile did not disappear from Castillus's face, he approached his father confidently, with a straight line. He was the son of Satan, one of those born of angels. He had the power to control the minds of others, to move objects with his thoughts, and to see all known universes, including the prison worlds created by the Gemini coven.

Lucifer swallowed hard. He tried to sort out his thoughts and return to the disguise of the cool devil. All the while, he had to constantly discipline his mind to keep Castillus from invading. He turned on the bar stool, facing his whole body with his son, who finally got to his side, then jumped over the bar counter, filling himself with a good kind of very expensive bourbon.

Finally, Lucifer pulled himself together. He looked at his very unexpected guest with a searching look and a false smile.

"What can I for to visit your long-unseen father after such a long time?" Lucifer asked with some irony in his voice.

Castillus did not respond immediately. He pulled a big sip from the glass into which he had filled the bourbon. Then he sighed contentedly, then looked thoughtfully into Lucifer's cold-flashing brown eyes.

"You know, I wasn't expecting you to fall over my neck or sweep my shoulder, but a 'hello, son' would have gone well." He tilted his head playfully to the side and looked at his father with a playful grumpy face.

Lucifer took the bottle from Castillus's hand, then gestured silently that he, too, was asking for a glass before the other took him out from under the bar. The devil poured himself a portion of the good kind of nectar, but in the meantime he didn't take his eyes off the man for a minute. For now, he had no idea why Castillus had visited him. He had always kept an eye on him in secret, but they never contacted each other. The devil wasn't that parent type. But deep down he had always been proud of Castillus, but he could not let the other know, it would harm his image.

Castillus was very similar to his father. He never expected recognition or paternal love from him, but he was always around, no matter how many times his father put his foot on Earth. He was also angry at him because Quetsiyah, after the Other Side collapsed, ended up in hell of Lucifer. Castillus hoped that his father would take care of him, for he had thus bound the whole pact, but the woman's soul was trapped, and he would never forgive either his father or his grandfather.

Lucifer pulled himself out of his chair, loosened his shirt, and stared at Castillus with a playful insult, then spoke in a chat tone.

"Welcome Castillus to my humble abode." Lucifer pointed around his suite with a wide gesture. "May I find out what's so important for you to honoring me?" He sent her son a slightly mocking smile.

Castillus responded with an equally mocking smile, then his face became serious, casting a dark, threatening look at the devil.

“The time has come." Lucifer knew what the half-creature was thinking. He raised an eyebrow in amazement. "The enchantment is broken," Castillus continued, placing the gold wedding ring he had tossed in his hand on arrival in front of Lucifer.

The ring was a symbol of the promise of eternal love. An inscription gleamed on it, engraved on it a little over five years ago: Forever, D. S. Lucifer rotated the glittering, tiny object between his fingers, then smiled contentedly at himself.

"The little witch finally succeeded," he whispered to himself.

Castillus nodded contentedly. It took a long time, but the big plan finally paid off. The second step may have come.

"That means you have to bring someone back from your horrrrrible hell to finally break the curse."

Lucifer's face frowned.

"It won't be that easy," he said through his teeth.  
Castillus rummaged in his pocket, then took out a coin. The small, disc-shaped object looked very shabby. On one side was a pentagram engraved, on the other an inscription written in a very ancient language. The half creature tossed the coin in front of Lucifer. As the coin flew, it’s movement slowed and then stopped in the air as everything froze around the two men. Time stopped around them.

Castillus and Lucifer sighed at the same time.

“Amenadiel!”

The devil turned back in a quick motion. His brother, an angel of God, was almost two feet tall. His dark skin gleamed in the dim light that illuminated the suite. He wore a long, light gray, sleeveless tunic that beat his ankles with each step. A silver long necklace hung around his neck, the pendant of which looked like a miniature dagger.

Amenadiel walked proudly to the counter. Lucifer stared at him a little angrily, while Castillus stared at him expressionlessly. They haven't seen each other in a long time. Amenadiel never attached too much importance to the supernatural world. He had always been loyal to his father, and the angels were given the task of not interfering in their lives. However, it was possible to break the rule once or twice.

"Tell our father I'm not going back." Lucifer said instead of greeting.

"Exceptionally, that's not why I came," the angel replied in a deep, resounding voice.

"A little family entanglement," Castillus said with concentrated sarcasm in front of him, then sipped from his glass.

"In that case," Lucifer grinned, then pulled out a bar stool and tapped him, offering his brother a place. "Sit among us and tell us the purpose of your coming!" He glared at his son with one eye. "I just had an urgent thing with my long-unseen offspring, so we could take it in a hurry."

The black angel didn't sit down, just stood beside Lucifer and stared at the two men seriously.

“I came to warn you.” Castillus raised his head. His glowing blue eyes now scanned Amenadiel's face. He knew that access to the minds of celestial beings was not so easy. The fact that at times he was still able to scour the thoughts of the angels could only be attributed to the fact that he was a traveler. "Lilith's Travelers," Amenadiel continued, "found a way to tear souls out of Silver City."

Castillus's eyes flashed and he pulled his lips to an evil smile. This is his luck.

“That's great!” He exclaimed cheerfully as he clapped his palms. Amenadiel looked at him like he was crazy. "So at least I don't have to hook my mustache to the big old man." As he said this, he turned his eyes to the ceiling. "Our dear descendants do the dirty work for me." He grinned contentedly at the other two.

Lucifer smiled appreciatively while Amenadiel didn't want to believe his ears. He leaned angrily closer to the half-creature.

"Do you have any idea what the consequences would be if they could tear souls out of heaven?"

Castillus rolled his eyes and snorted mockingly.

“Come on! Lilith’s Traveler’s only need one soul, as do I.” He lowered his chin and placed his hand on his chest. "By the time Lucifer and I are done, there will be no Travelers, and Lilith will be stuck in her prison forever." Castillus's eyes darkened, he frowned on the bar and looked at the two angels. "I'll make sure Lilith's doppelgangers don't hurt anyone anymore," he said grimly.

Amenadiel seemed to still doubt his words. He didn't like what they were up to at all. He did not trust either his brother or his nephew. The soul he wanted to break out was especially kind to Amenadiel. He spent a long time in atonement and won the heavenly forgiveness, as did his brother. Pure souls, no matter how evil they commit in their lives, end up always receiving forgiveness. Amenadiel feared that if this one came back to Earth, what the consequences would be for others.

"I'm going with you," he said in an intolerant voice, and the other two nodded.

"Then, an easy family trip to Mystic Falls?" Castillus asked in a playful voice.

"I think I need to call a Bennett witch." Lucifer grinned broadly at him and his brother. - Or a surprise?

"I think the latter," Castillus replied. “Bonnie loves surprises. Oh, and let’s not forget a few little things.” He pointed to the coin. “We need to find Quetsiyah's body.”

Amenadiel shook his head as the two of them texted their plans. Before he was with them, he had something to deal with.

"See you soon," he gestured to them, then left for the balcony.

Castillus raised his glass toward him while Lucifer waved at him with a wide smile. Amenadiel unfolded his huge, granite-gray wings and then disappeared into the night.

***

Silver city

_Dear Diary!_

_I'm sitting here in my room again. I have no idea since I last wrote in this diary. I don't feel the passage of time. As beautiful and reassuring as this place is, I end up punching out here in the end. I walk in the door of the Salvatore Inn and wait for my loved ones to show up. I especially want to see my brother again._

_And I have no reason to complain. I feel great, light and free. The burden of guilt no longer overwhelms my soul and I can be with Lexi. Sometimes Sheila shows up too. Lexi and I sometimes watch the world below us together. We laugh good at people and sometimes come up with funny stories about them._

_Well, peace is boring. In truth, without Damon, everything is boring. Lexi says I could take a look at him sometimes, but I’m not ready for it yet. I hope she and Elena live happily together. If I looked at them, I would remember watching Caroline, too, and I don’t think I could do anything else after that. I want to be with her all the time, I want to touch her, just to speak to her. The only one I can sometimes connect with is Bonnie. Amenadiel says Bennett witches are special, and I think it’s just Bonnie who is exceptional. Sheila thinks Bonnie is strong enough to connect with different planes of being. This is a more reasonable explanation._

_But I don't want to harass her either. I asked her to stop looking for my soul. She can’t always sacrifice everything for others. But once a year, on the day of my death, she is the only one I can talk to who hears me. Did she tell to Damon that? I do not know. But I hope my brother knows I have found peace and he will be with me at the end of his journey._

Stefan Salvatore closed the leather-bound book and set the pen in his hand on the desk. The room he was staying in was an exact replica of the one in which Caroline Forbes-Salvatore woke up every morning. He missed his wife. He thought about her a lot and sometimes felt like he could even hear her voice.

He stared contemplatively out the huge window in front of which his desk stood. He thought of his loved ones, all those he left behind and for whom he gave for his life. If he could turn back time, he wouldn’t act any differently. Damon deserved a happy life, and he was finally able to find peace.

He met many acquaintances in Silver City. He was very surprised when, one fine day, Klaus Mikaelson crossed the threshold of the Salvatore boarding house he had created. They chatted a little, then who went about their business. Their encounters with Sheila Bennett have always been strange. Even here in heaven, the woman was surrounded by a mysterious aura and spoke to him as if she knew everything. And there was Lexi. The days were always cheerful with him, even if time could be called days. Everything came together, there was no night, only eternal light, so it was difficult for Stefan to name the times of the day because the concept of time did not exist in this place. For lack of a better one, he tied the changes to events. One day he meant to leave the Salvatore boarding house, walk along the paths of Silver City paved with sparkling stones, then look down on the Earth, sometimes visit Lexi, and finally return to his home.

Stefan, apart from the lack of loved ones, was happy. He was not tormented by incessant hunger and longing for human blood, his tormented guilt ceased, and he left the world there with the knowledge that his brother had forgiven him for persuading him to become a vampire. Damon was on the right track, too, and not for someone else's sake, but for himself.

Stefan heard a voice. Faintly, like the sound of the breeze; mere whisper.

“Bonnie?” He breathed into the emptiness.

He closed his eyes and imagined the crypt in front of him. He was already there. This place worked like this: The man imagined where he wanted to be, and the place was created, or something like that. The witch couldn't see him, but she could hear his voice. That's how she was able to connect with him.

He was in the crypt and wasn’t in it. He saw it from above at the same time and as if it were inside. It's a strange experience. He looked around, looking at the place where his ashes were buried. It was already dark, with only a few candles flickering on the ledges of the tombs, which Bonnie had probably lit. Stefan noticed a small snow globe on the ledge. He knew immediately who had put it there, and his soul was filled with infinite love. Again, he found it better not to look at her. The desire to be together again was often stronger than the feeling of peace. He will love Caroline forever and wait for her as long as he needs to.

The witch smiled. In the light of the candles, her immaculate skin was quite dark. Her green eyes lit up as she looked thoughtfully at the younger brother's grave.

"I survived that day," Bonnie sighed.

Stefan didn't really understand what she was thinking. He tilted his head sideways in curiosity. He knew she couldn't see him, but he told her.

"I'm glad to hear your voice again."

Bonnie froze suddenly. It looked like she wasn't expecting an answer. She hadn't heard Stefan's voice a year ago, and now it was good for her to discover that the connection was still there, though she had already given up to resurrect him. She thought they could find some way to bring him back; for Damon. But in the end, she had to see that if she did, the consequences would be unpredictable, and Stefan also asked her to give up. He found peace. As soon as she found out, she told to Damon everything, who of course found out by then what she was limping on. He wasn't angry at her, just thanked her.

Bonnie smiled faintly, then closed her eyes so she could more easily imagine the younger Salvatore.

"I'm glad to hear you, too," the witch replied softly. "I know you don't want to stay long, so I'll tell you what you want to hear."

Stefan smiled. Bonnie never fumbled, always jumping in the middle. It was very similar to Damon in this.

"Everyone is fine," the witch continued. “Your niece is five years old today.” Bonnie chuckled. "Caroline and Damon organized a huge party. I told them everything they needed to know about the Travelers. But I don’t want to bother you with another drama in Mystic Falls. Bonnie shrugged, then pursed her lips. “I feel tolerant, too.” There was some bitterness in her voice, though she tried to pretend that everything was fine.

Stefan was watching intently now. She felt there was something else behind the witch's last remark.

“What's wrong?” He whispered anxiously.

Bonnie shook her head laughing.

“Nothing. Damon is still my best friend, and I saw him again today, so it’s okay that way.”

Stefan was surprised. He was too familiar with this tone. He thought of Caroline again. Bonnie and Damon? He did not rule out at all that something more serious could have developed between the two of them. Of course, only if Elena wouldn’t exist. Her brother was obsessed with her. For the first time, however, he thought that Bonnie might have deeper feelings for her friend.

“Something happened?” Stefan asked.

"No, nothing," Bonnie replied carelessly. "It was just good to see them after such a long time."

Bonnie finally opened her eyes and saw something. A book with a pink cover bound with a blue ribbon. Stefan noticed, too. He saw the woman walk slowly to the stone and then crouch down beside him. He felt the connection between the witch and him fade as Bonnie's attention turned to the diary. Then, as soon as Bonnie opened the full booklet, the connection was severed, and Stefan found himself at the Salvatore boarding house again.

Sipping his drink in front of the flag stove in the living room of his home, he wondered what might have happened between his brother and the witch? Bonnie was different now. Contemplative and a little sad. He didn’t take it out of her voice at all that she was happy about the fact that Damon was her best friend. Stefan didn't let the thought calm down. At last, something broke the monotony, and it was better to think of this supposedly secret relationship now than to look at people from the heavens for days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im so curious that how do you like it? The things come clear or... more mysterious? And finally we meet Stefan. I like him. At the beginning i didn't. He was tipycal nice guy, a hero type but after he broke with Elena whe opened. And we could his depth. He has. And i also love Defan. The writers wanted so much that the TVD be a love story. It succeed just not the way they thought, i guess. The TVD is about, in my opinion of course, two brothers' bond. How much they love each other and what means the brother's love. What means to be a sibling. I have three brothers, so i know what i mean. 
> 
> I also love your comments:) Thank you so much for your attention and i hope you enjoyed this short chapter too. I send a virtual hug for everyone:)) Have a nice day!


	9. The end of a marriage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here is the new translated chapter. It is long. Very long, but worth it, believe me! :) Thank you so much for the nice comments and Kudos and for reading this story:) I am doing this for the entertainment you and I of course. And I'm so happy when i see that someone really like this:) So thanks again.  
> About the chapter: We finally see the birthday, will be there some funny (this is just my opinion. You will be who decide it was funny or not) Bamon moments and a very touchable Damon moments with the others. How everyone feel about Damon. This chapter is a gift for him from me. And at the end... Awww! You will se if you read:D Have a nice reading:)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A graceful message of dismissal
> 
> 'Let the spell break a hundred-and-first time  
> that has broken a hundred: I dismiss you yet again  
> for ever, if you believed I still held you dear,  
> and believed one more dismissal stood in line.  
> A hundred-times-wounded, here, I throw at you  
> the sumptuous kingrobe of my forgetting you.  
> Wear it, for the weather will come colder,  
> wear it, for I am sorry for us both,  
> for the huge shame of such unequal fight,  
> for your humiliation, for I don’t know what,  
> and for you I am sorry, for you alone here.
> 
> How long, how silently it has been like this:  
> how often, to reassure you in your fate  
> by dazzling favours, you were given a golden  
> Leda-psalm, sent white-hot to the fairest  
> of the fair. I received nothing, withdrew nothing:  
> it was my grace to give you false belief  
> in kisses “wont to wanton otherwhere”  
> and loves I was “wont to love otherly”:  
> and I am grateful for all these embraces,  
> and despite everything I thank such wisps  
> of Leda-gone as any man can thank  
> on leaving behind him an old listless kiss.
> 
> And for how long I have not sought you out  
> in gritty past, in muddy present, how long  
> since I took leave of you, on that slave-track  
> where your sex steps into its circumscribed fate.  
> For how long now I have looked for nothing  
> but what you might keep of my splendid self,  
> of the magical attributes my verse drew youwards,  
> so that you can find consolation, lonely, loving,  
> in having existed too, as well as the man  
> who left a world unclaimed at last to hang  
> adornments from his store upon a woman.
> 
> >From this proud breast “wont to be gaping great”,  
> I had to see your stylish, majestic fall –  
> oh not the bitch-revenge of a jilted piece  
> who sets a raging ambush for her venging-mate:  
> not anything to mock your poor scant self  
> since you go branded by my Croesushood  
> and your once-been-mine was a belief for you,  
> to pass so deftly none can sense or tell,  
> the one in whom I planted my embrace  
> so that she too might take delight in it,  
> she who had been the merest question-mark  
> and needed me alone to find fulfilment.
> 
> Now will you frou-frou down, well-wilted flower  
> fallen from its dust-smothered prayer-book,  
> or will you rush about and rub threadbare  
> your borrowed halo, your sad bridle’s power,  
> and what at last trembles to its blessing in a girl,  
> my own self-idolizing act of prayer?  
> I ask Fate now to ask your fate to leave  
> thinking it can twist round the fate in my stars,  
> and I am easy whether flood or fire devours  
> you, for through me you live, I saw you first  
> and you are long dead long out of my eyes.'
> 
> /Endre Ady/
> 
> Morgan, Edwin (translater)

Chapter 8

The end of a marriage

Dr. Alaric Saltzman, principal of the Salvatore Boarding School, was Damon Salvatore’s oldest friend. He liked the vampire in an incomprehensible way when he could only destroy. He found propinquity in him who could handle the drink better than he did, though Damon was hard to drink under the table, even as a human.

Damon’s relationship with Alarick began in the same way as the vampire’s most friendly relationships; they wanted to kill each other. Damon succeeded. (Then years later, Alaric reciprocated the “favor.”) They became good friends, and the history professor could generally count on him. What he liked about a vampire struggling with severe personality disorder and anger management problems was that he saw himself in him. Lost love, turbulent past, broken soul. He simply understood him. He saw right through him, much sooner than anyone else.

That's why he knew exactly that Damon hadn't been in love with Elena for a very long time. He was the first on the team who discover the special connection between the vampire and the witch. Damon had done something for Bonnie that put him at risk of losing the hard-to-get girl and would have been able to free a serial killer for his friends so he could bring the witch back, risking the lives of her loved ones as well. Not to mention that Damon would have been able to do anything to keep Bonnie alive, he almost killed himself with the witch, only to escape her. He sacrificed everything for her, even his own soul.

Therefore, he did not understand Damon's behavior and his attachment to the Gilbert girl. (Like no one from the Scooby band by now.) Sometimes he tried to bring up the Bonnie topic, but usually he only got a funny comment, or Damon quickly distracted the word. They drank together many times without Elena's knowledge, and Rick knew from experience that this was not good for a marriage. During a drink like this, Damon was caught up in a seizure of honesty and said something from which Rick finally understood why his friend was suffering so much.

"Do you know what's the hardest thing about life, Rick? To love two women at once.”

After that, he didn't speak anymore, because he almost fainted on the floor of the Grill. There was a great quarrel then between his wife and him. Not the first, nor the last. Rick also knew that Damon and Bonnie were best friends. Without Elena, they wouldn't have been able to swing through it so easily. Yet such relationships are for life. True, there are no fireworks on the first encounter, no butterflies in one’s stomach, you just feel like you belong together. This love is deep and indestructible. Alaric knew exactly what it felt like because he had gone through something very similar to Jo, the biological mother of the twins. To this day, he mourned the woman, and no one was able to fill the void left by her second wife. Because Rick also knew that the love of a man's life is not the one with whom he can imagines his future, but the one without whom he cannot, and Damon would be unable to live in a world in which Bonnie Bennett is not in it, as Alaric has only half life since the death of Josette Laughlin.

When he saw at the birthday party how cool his friend was with Elena, and in the meantime how he watched almost every step of the Bennett witch, he walked gently to Damon. He handed one of the two bottles of beer in his hand to the man, then toasted.

Damon took a big sip from the pleasantly cooling drink, then sighed contentedly.

"Did something stronger not get in your hands?" Rick asked jokingly.

Alaric didn't laugh. He looked at his friend with a serious face, who was a little confused but stood.  
“What is that?” Damon asked.

Rick took a deep breath.

“I see you made your decision.”

“What decision?” Damon stared at him incomprehensibly.

Alaric was still serious, and Damon's face frowned.

"I'm just asking you not to hurt Elena very much! She does not deserve.”

The elder Salvatore was completely scalded. He looked at Alaric in shock and couldn't utter a word. Then a thought came to him.

“Did you talk to Caroline?” He asked with some threatening edge in his voice.

“What should we be talking about?” Rick asked, gently pushing back.

“Does not matter. Forget it!” Damon said, playing indifferently. “So, what decision? And what is it like not to hurt Elena?”

Alaric shook his head, then patted his friend on the shoulder.

“Come on, Damon! We are not blind. I see how you behave. I just really want you to do this nicely. Elena is like having a daughter of me, so I don’t want her to suffer much.”

And Damon finally dropped the tantrum. Would it be so obvious how he feels? Until now, he thought he had managed to cover everything up. The trouble is more serious than he thought. He looked at Alaric and could only nod.

The rest of the day was uneventful, almost.

***

Elena, Caroline and Bonnie sipped their drinks at the long table. It was long time that the three best girlfriends could have been together, and now they were just enjoying the moments they spent together. They chatted, laughed, talked about clothes, kids and guys.

Elena was quieter than usual. She watched her husband talk deeply to Rick, Matt, and the black guy whose name she didn't even remember. It could have been a very serious matter because Damon was heavily concentrated and frowned. It was in the woman's mind how she would serve the truth to the love of her life. She couldn't lie anymore. Guilt slowly consumed her soul and her marriage as well.

Caroline, as always, smiled now. She was happy with the party. She patted her shoulder in thought at what a great job she had done in such a short time. She watched with one eye Bonnie, who seemed to be going quite elsewhere. A dreamy look sits on her face as she looked the older Salvatore, and a strange gleam moved into her eyes. Caroline felt she had to do something soon so Elena wouldn't notice anything of it.

Bonnie really forgot in to the sight of her friend. She looked at the man as he played with Stephanie. The little girl ran over to her father, and Damon's attention was immediately distracted. He picked her up on his lap and tossed her like that. Bonnie felt a pleasant feeling pervade her entire body. She loved Damon. Since when? Now it seemed to her that in her whole life. The moment she first saw the mysterious stranger in the Grill, Bonnie was lost. There was something in the man's eyes that immediately caught the girl, but she was almost a child yet and was afraid of him. She was attracted and repelled by the vampire at the same time. Then she realized she was totally had a crush on him, then the love began to deepen until it became utterly indelible from her heart. Naively thought the situation would change over time, that their friendship would be enough, but since she met Lucifer, she had to realize that this was not true. A piece of her soul will always yearn for him. She will soon have to decide what you are going to do with this, because at the same time she was sure Damon would not leave Elena. Although they behaved very strangely to each other. The man treated the woman coolly. Neither a kiss nor a hug happened between them, and he kept as much distance as possible from his wife. That little piece in her soul was now a dance of joy, and Bonnie was very angry with herself for it.

Caroline tore her out of her thoughts.

“Hey, girls!” She muttered cheerfully. “Let's go in for a little cool!”

Bonnie looked at her.

“Doesn't it matter to you? You are a vampire!”

Elena gave her a disapproving look.

“Bonnie! Don't be like that!”

“What kind of?” Caroline raised an eyebrow.

"It doesn't matter," she shrugged, then smiled broadly. "Let's really go in and tell me everything."

Bonnie strongly doubted that her best friend really wanted to hear what had happened to her in Europe and Los Angeles, and she really didn’t want to be bored with the details of her dissertation, but she also smiled and nodded.

A few minutes later, the three girlfriends were sitting at the kitchen counter, looking at Bonnie's phone. The witch showed them pictures of Rome and the ocean shore. They chatted cheerfully, like in the good old days. Caroline suddenly snatched the phone from her hand.

“Who is this?” She asked in surprise.

Bonnie took the phone back and saw the selfie what Lucifer had made of themselves in front of the bar counter in his suite. She forgot to delete this one. Lucifer did a lot of selfies, most of them in swinging attire, only to annoy the witch. But in this picture, he was dressed in his tailor-made Prada and grinned broadly.

“Oh, this is Lucifer Morningstar!” Bonnie said mysteriously.

Elena asked the phone to look at the mysterious stranger she had heard Bonnie had met him in Los Angeles. As she looked away from the man, she determined to herself how charming and handsome he was. He would have been good for Bonnie.

Neither of them noticed Damon entering the cool kitchen. He heard the name of Lucifer Morningstar and immediately snatched the returned phone from the witch's hand. He looked at the screen with a grin, on which the witch smiled not very sincerely at a tall and annoyingly attractive man.

“Damon, give me the phone back!” Bonnie said angrily.

“Oh, Bon-Bon! Come and take it!” He teased, raising the device high.

Bonnie got after him, but of course she didn't reach it. Caroline tried to suppress her laughter, while Elena just stared at the two quarrels incomprehensibly. Bonnie frowned angrily and spoke menacingly to Damon.

“You will regret it, Old Man!”

She curled her fingers, then flicked her index finger into the air before Damon's hand twitched and the phone fell out of him. Before the device hit the ground, it flew into Bonnie's hand. This did not end the lesson, for the witch turned her palm toward the man and muttered a spell softly.

„Motus!”

Damon hit the kitchen cabinet, but he only hit himself a little.

“Auch!” He moaned.

Bonnie just glanced at him, then sat back down. Caroline burst out laughing, but Elena just froze. She hadn't seen them like that before.

“Do they always do that?” She asked Caroline in a whisper.

"More times than you think," the blonde replied. "Sometimes they act like preschoolers."

“She could even hurt him.” Elena's voice sounded sincere with concern as her two girlfriends looked at her in shock.

They didn't want to believe their ears. If there’s one thing that has been said for sure in their lives, it’s that Damon and Bonnie would never hurt each other. Elena took it back. She realized that what she said wasn't really right. To divert the conversation about the dangerous waters, she asked Bonnie instead.

"And what is this mysterious stranger like?" Elena teased the question.

Damon snorted softly as he slammed into the kitchen. He pretended not to listen to the conversation, but with every nerve he focused on Bonnie's response.

The witch sighed and began to tell the story of Lucifer with a smile, not everything, of course.

“Well! He is tall, well-dressed, rich and has a sexy British accent.” She winked at Caroline here as the blonde vampire rolled her eyes.

“We all know it's the sexiest!” Elena interrupted, giggling.  
“Yeah!” Bonnie nodded.

Damon couldn't stop himself from intervening.

“Pensavo preferissi L’italiano.” ( _I thought you preferred the Italian._ )

Damon teased his eyebrows teasingly.

Bonnie froze. All the hair stood up on her hands, her skin became goosebumps, and a pleasant shiver ran down her spine. Yes, Bonnie preferred Italian, but only if she heard it from Damon. Her friend spoke Italian very rarely, yet the witch had heard it many times and had always had the same effect on her as it does now. The man's voice changed to a deep baritone, and the melodic speech mixed with some scratched edges. A more stirring voice, according to the witch, didn’t even exist in the world, and Damon knew that, as Bonnie told him how much she liked it when he spoke Italian. Then they were just laughing at it.

Not even looking at him, she took a sip of her drink. Damon also had a weak point, and Bonnie felt she had to retort.

“Et pour vous, le français est doux. ( _And for you, French is gentle_ )”

Damon leaned over to him and whispered in her ear with a grin.

“Touché!”

That the man turned on his heel and walked back into the garden with confident steps. Caroline felt the tension in the air, though this intermezzo was not unusual for her. Damon taught Bonnie to speak Italian and French to prepare her for her exams. There was a lot of material at the university that was written in these two languages, and her friend came to the job with a good command of the language. It was then revealed that Damon was fluent in at least six languages, read five more, and could understand Mandarin. Yeah, 160 years, that's 160 years.

But now something else has happened other than just giving it a go. They only spoke in a company in another language if they didn’t want someone to know what it was all about. At such times they pursued a discourse that only they could understand, so they used a different language. It annoyed Caroline because it usually followed that Damon and Bonnie jumped into something alone to protect others. The fact that this was now happening in Elena's presence seemed very suspicious to the blonde.

Something could have happened between Damon and his wife because the man had changed from a good husband to a jerk. That morning quarrel could have been more serious than she thought. The elder Salvatore hadn't behaved like that for a long time. He simply ruled out Elena, hardly looked at her, and didn't say a word to her since she came home. It’s out of the question that there’s only so much to do about it that Bonnie is back. Caroline glared at Elena.

Mrs. Salvatore pursed her lips angrily. Of course, she noticed her husband's changed behavior. She concluded that he just wanted to annoy her. He must have achieved his goal. Elena then burst into rage. First the whipped cream incident, now this. Is there something between her husband and her best friend that she didn’t know about before? She looked angrily at Bonnie, who, as if nothing had happened, continued to chat cheerfully with Caroline. Maybe she sees horrors. She couldn't have imagined Bonnie betraying her that way. A disturbing feeling gripped her. Those around her knew something she didn’t, and that made her feel very stupid.

“What was that?” She finally said.

Bonnie raised an eyebrow questioningly. It was natural for her. They always teased each other with Damon, and scenes like this were not uncommon between the two of them. The only difference now is that Elena saw it too.

“What do you think?” Bonnie asked, as if she really didn't understand the question.

Caroline stepped in immediately. It wasn’t the right place and time to discuss another Salvatore love drama.

“Uh! That's the time!? The cake must be served! The clown is already done.”

She yanked Elena with her and gave Bonnie a significant look, who of course didn't understand what it was all about. Damon's behavior was a little weird, but not unusual. There is something wrong with his marriage, but they will figure out what to do. She and Damon were best friends, it was natural for the man to go too far in the game sometimes, but none of them crossed a certain line. Sometimes a little innocent flirting fit in, and then they both laughed good at themselves. To Bonnie, Caroline's behavior seemed incomprehensible. She watched Elena intently the whole time. Ready to jump, she waited for something to happen that she had to stop. Bonnie didn't really understand what was going on between her two girlfriends, but she really didn't like the thing. Caroline looked at Elena with definitely angry glances as she thought no one was watching. She decided to find out what was going on in the background, so as soon as she had the opportunity, she would talk to Damon face to face.

***

Everything in the garden was already prepared. The witches stood in their place. A smaller table was set in the middle, floating in it a pink, three-layers cake with tiny flowers and ribbons made of marzipan as a decoration. Five strands of candles were burning on top. After Stephanie blew out the candles, everyone in a row brought her presents.

Relatives followed last. At first, Caroline handed her the snow globe, which began to shine wonderfully in her hand, and the golden powder stirred in her. Steph's eyes sparkled with joy and immediately jumped into Caroline's neck. She silently thanked her for the gift, giving her aunt a truly pleasant memory.

Elena found the magic sphere strange, but she didn't say a word. Luckily, she didn’t understand how it worked, so the secret remained safe for now. She was glad that her daughter was happy and she was smiling widely.

Then Bonnie followed. She pulled Mrs. Cuddles out of the bag. As the little girl touched her, tears welled in her eyes. Bonnie suddenly didn't even understand why. Then Steph spoke softly.

“You were hurt!” The little girl's green eyes dug into Bonnie's. “You saved Dad!” The celebrant continued.

Bonnie was surprised at first, but then realized that maybe there was something left of her magic in the teddy bear. Luckily, the little girl spoke to her so softly that only she could hear her, and Caroline. She smiled warmly at her goddaughter, then stroked her face.

“There is nothing wrong! Mrs. Cuddles will love you very much.”

The little girl hugged Mrs. Cuddles tightly. Bonnie's magic permeated her little body, but she couldn't yet put into words what was going on in her. She instinctively accepted things and knew when to do what. The teddy bear belonged to Aunt Bonnie. She kept the memories of her godmother. There were beautiful and awesome among them, but for Stephanie it meant love. She will never release Mrs. Cuddles, as her father did not. She saw this too. Her dad, as soon as he carried the teddy bear with him everywhere, even slept with it. This reassured her.

Damon could barely hold back his touch. Mrs. Cuddles also meant a lot to him. After returning from Kai's prison world in gratitude to Bonnie's sacrifice, he was sacredly convinced that the Bennett witch was dead. It hurt him terribly, tormented by horrible guilt. Then one evening, as he was walking drunk in the cemetery, he spotted Bonnie's teddy bear at the entrance to the Salvatore crypt. He immediately hugged Mrs. Cuddles because it meant that the witch was alive. Waves of relief and happiness permeated his entire being, and then, until Bonnie came home, he reluctantly got rid of the teddy bear. As he looked at Steph he realized it was the same teddy bear.

The last gift was brought out of the house by the parents. They handed over a huge package to their daughter. Stephanie impatiently tore open the golden wrapping paper that hid a large box. A real, huge baby that Steph had been wanting for a very long time. They crouched down in front of their little girl and hugged her at once. It was their last moment as a family. Damon knew that, and he wanted to preserve that moment to remain a beautiful memory. He made up his mind and whatever happened from now on, he would no longer be Elena Gilbert’s husband.

The distribution of the gift was followed by Caroline’s announcement. The children withdrew to eat cake, but the adults were asked to stay at the long table and sit down. Caroline and Bonnie looked at each other. From this, the witch knew that now she has turn.

A total of six of the younger witch pupils from the school attended the birthday party. Bonnie had to supervise the spell if something would go wrong. Damon didn't understand what was going on, waiting curiously for what was going to come out of it while Elena chewed nervously on the edge of her mouth. Since she was not involved in the organization, this part also left a surprise. She promised herself she wouldn’t stage a scene no matter what her girlfriends planned. Alaric and Dorian knew pretty much what kind of show the little bosses were going to perform, but they were also excitedly waiting for the sequel.

The little students stood in a semicircle and began to chant. From somewhere, a cake floated into the garden and landed in the middle of the large table. The cake was square. The top was covered with chocolate and garnished with whipped cream all around. At the top was an inscription made of icing: Damon Salvatore. The other celebrated did not respond. He looked deeply at the cake and just shook his head. He was assassinated. However, the show is not over yet. Suddenly, 185 strands of candles appeared in the air right in front of the table. They floated beautifully, then Bonnie lit them.

"Phesmatos Incendia!" The Bennett witch roared.  


The candles lit, and Damon stared at the performance. The witch looked deep into his eyes, their eyes clasped. He had never seen her more beautiful than when she had cast spells. He just loved watching it. The green eyes glowed in the light of the candles, the magical energies could be almost felt which the witch was flooding with. Bonnie pursed her lips with a mysterious smile, her hair fluttering in the supernaturally rising wind; the spell is not over yet. Bonnie raised her hands high as the candles turned into a huge fireball. As the witch moved her hands, so did the shape of the fireball. In the sky, right in front of Damon, an orange-glowing inscription appeared: 185. Damon smiled delightedly at the witch. Then the inscription was burst by Bonnie's next gesture, then the million embers put together in to the letters.

The following appeared in front of the man: _Happy Birthday Old Man!_

The surprise succeeded. This time, Damon couldn't hold back the tears from his touch. He wanted to hit it all with a joke, but no words came to his mouth. He was not really celebrated in his life, death, or new life. It was a whole new experience for him. He looked at Bonnie, who laughed at him heartily, then began to applaud, then Caroline, and finally everyone around him. A sense of euphoria gripped him. He was among his family, among people who love him and care about him. He looked through them and then stood up to thank everyone for the many good things he had received that he still felt he didn’t deserve. His gaze fell on his wife. Elena was the only one who didn't smile, just stared in surprise at the still glowing caption. It was then that Damon realized that his wife had nothing to do with this surprise. He made sure it was all organized by Caroline. There was a stabbing pain in his chest because the woman he considered the love of her life didn't bother to ask him when he was born. The grief lasted only a few seconds. Then Bonnie eliminated the spell, walking over to Damon as the man pulled Caroline in as well. He hugged both women at the same time and kissed the top of their heads.

“Thank you girls!” He whispered touchily in their ears. "Which of you had an insane idea to uncover the secrets of the Salvatore family?" He asked funny as they unfolded from the hug.

“I would be!” Caroline replied. "Damon Giuseppe Salvatore, born in Sicily on June 18, 1839," his sister-in-law said consciously. “Gemini with cancer ascendant.”

"We know everything about you, Old Man," Bonnie added.

They laughed together until Alaric stood up and gave the older Salvatore a hugging, friendly hug.

“Happy birthday, man! Who do you think gave Caroline an idea of where to look for the data?” Rick smiled.

“Alaric Saltzman, the history teacher!” Damon boxed on his friend's shoulder.

"And who searched Italy for lost documents?" Bonnie patted her friend's back playfully.

Damon turned away from Alaric and hugged the witch tightly again. There was nothing embarrassing about it this time. Deep gratitude poured into his heart. Eventually, Dorian joined.

“Happy birthday, boss!”

After the black teaching assistant also patted his back, Matt Donovan walked over to him with his arms wide open. It fell to him the best. The sheriff hugged him, and Damon felt the same again as when Bonnie told him there was hope for him; redemption. If someone who hated vampires and explicitly hated Damon (killed him once) is able to turn to him with such affection, he really won forgiveness.

Damon turned to his wife. Elena slowly got up from her chair. She was completely shocked by the sight as her friends were able to surprise her husband so wonderfully. She had never seen the Scooby band together like that. It was the first time she had really witnessed how much the older Salvatore is loved and respected. In her memories, Damon was hated by everyone except Elena, except perhaps Bonnie and Alaric. But Matt? After all, Vicky died because of him, and Damon killed Tyler, of course not of his own free will, but even then. Deep in her heart, Elena never forgave him. She couldn't. They grew up with Tyler, and the many innocent people who were killed with Enzo as he persuaded Stefan to work for Arcadias. That was a lot for her. From the entries for her, Elena was able to draw a conclusion: her husband should be kept as far away from the supernatural as possible, because the real monster could come out of him at any time. And yet that was the only thing she could not control. When it came to Salvatore School, Damon didn't dilate. He calls them here, to their house, they even organize a show, and Elena has to put up with silence.

She walked slowly toward her husband. He forced a smile on his face, then cleared his throat.

"Can I hug my tiny husbandy too?" She asked with a chuckle.

Caroline and Bonnie looked at each other. The same thought ran through their minds, _‘My tiny husbandy?’_ They almost laughed.

Damon let the woman embrace his shoulder and he hugged her back too. He was still waiting for the pleasant, warm feeling that flooded him when Elena touched him, but this time he missed it. He felt nothing but emptiness. He tried to pretend everything was all right, but he felt Caroline's prickly gaze on his back and immediately let her go. They looked into each other's eyes for a second. Elena was very terrified because her husband's eyes flashed at her icy. She had seen this form of rejection countless times before, but he had never looked at her that way until this morning.

The gift distribution took place here as well. He received a new crossbow from Alaric, which Damon would hide in a secret room that opened from the worker's room, where the vampire hunter stuffs were storing his belongings. He has finally received permission from Donovan, so the Grill can be expanded with another terrace. Dorian handed him a special diary.

"These are Stefan Salvatore's first notes. I found it in the slums, I thought it would be good for something,” the teaching assistant told him as he handed the book.

Damon was completely chilled. He thought he had looked through everything thoroughly, but he was wrong. His brother's diaries were very kind to him. If this is one of the first ones written by Stefan, then things will be written about it that he will be fond of recalling: memories of their childhood in which there was not a piece of Petrova doppelgangers.

Caroline also handed over the book. Damon understood the hint. With a sneer, he rotated the volume between his hands as he recalled the morning when he first read the second part of the series. Caroline was just looking at the trace of the bite left by Damon in front of the dressing mirror, and to the man's question about what Edward was loving in Bella, the blonde's answer was just to read the first volume.

"Thank you, Blondie, for reminding me of the period of my life that I would most like to forget!" He said to the woman mockingly, and a sarcastic half-smile appeared on his face.

Caroline smiled.

„All I wanted was to start at the beginning of Twilight! It wasn’t that bad anyway, except I was your breakfast, lunch, and dinner!”

"Wasn't that when you were about to tear my head off?" Bonnie asked, but it seemed like she was just kidding.

Damon snorted mockingly.

“What, little witchy?” He leaned close to Bonnie. “Boo!" Bonnie backed away, but she just pretended to be scared.” You see? You're still scared of me.” With that, he turned away from the witch and clicked her teeth to approach Caroline.

The three of them laughed good, while Elena watched the scene in silence. When did the world turn out of itself? How can they joke about these things like that? She was the one who discovered traces of bite on Caroline. Because of her, Damon paid attention to Bonnie at all, now they pretend to have always been best friends. After all, Caroline should hate Damon. Because of this, she immediately scolded himself well. Relationships have changed a lot since then, and it’s very okay for so many to love her husband, but then why is it so hard to accept that? The evil voice also existed in his head, only it was ‘evil Katherine,’ who now spoke, _‘Because the Salvatore brothers are just yours.’_ And there was a surprising amount of truth in that sentence that made Elena hate herself.

She quickly turned on her heel so she could bring out his gift, too. When Caroline said she wanted to celebrate her husband’s birthday, Elena also took a present. In a dog run, he entered one of the Plaza next to Withmore and selected a Rolex. She thought it would suit her husband. Of course, she forgot that Damon has a smart watch and hasn’t really worn jewelry on himself since he became human. The device, which provided a constant connection to your phone, was a practical choice, as it had to be available at all times because of the Grill and school.

As she walked back with the small box in her hand, she stopped at the door. She realized she had lost her husband permanently. Everything rushed at once, as he saw Bonnie hand Damon his present. The image came together in his head as well. For years, he had banished his unconscious idea that something had happened between Damon and Bonnie after the collapse of the Other Side, in that strange place. She couldn't tell what was bothering her about the relationship between them, since the older Salvatore still wanted her, he wanted her so much. However, there were too many questions which not to be answered. 

When Bonnie was finally free, she ran straight to Damon. Everyone learned from the vampire that Bonnie was back. A day later. Then there was the fact that Bonnie only felt better when she talked to Damon. It was there that she began to feel that her girlfriend understood the love of her life better than her. Although she had no memories of her time with Damon, she felt she couldn’t let anyone else slap her handsome Salvatore out of her hand. She danced on very thin ice, but was pleased as the vampire ran after her like a puppy, while there seemed to be only a close friendship between Bonnie and Damon that was also hanging on a hair. Then Damon chose Bonnie. The more she was happy about the thing, the more terrified she was. In Elena's ears there echoed the words, ‘I’m doing this for Bonnie, Elena. Not for you.’ Then he let her lie in that awful coma until god knows what happened between the two of them. One of Bonnie’s posts completely overwhelmed her.

_‘I miss him, Elena, I miss him so much. I don't know what would I can do. I hate him and love him at the same time. I wish you were here, I wish I was dead! I wish he would wake up!’_

That was all. She knew her husband could evoke quite ambivalent feelings from people, but she wouldn’t have thought her best girlfriend felt so deeply about the vampire.

Then came the last seven years. They were more or less happy. She couldn't have found a better husband in search of Elena. Damon was attentive, sometimes even showing some romantic tendencies, being distinctly systematic, and taking a lot of the burden off her shoulders, but something was missing from their relationship: passion. As a vampire, Damon blazed a thousand degrees, so as a man he burned only on frugality. He wasn't the same man who she met. Elena wanted to get the old Damon back, the crazy vampire who, not caring about the consequences, goes head to head against the wall and just concentrates on her. But this did not happen. The Scooby gang took it from her.

Now he was standing in the back door watching her friends surround the ex-vampire. Everyone has changed. Alaric also became a responsible father and school principal, responsible for a great many souls. His hair had already turned into grey, and the wrinkles deepened on her face. Caroline moved away from her. She got much closer to Damon than Elena ever thought. It was as if they had filled the hole in their souls that Stefan had left behind. They were together in their grief while Elena was unable to do so. Stefan's death hurt her so much that it seemed impossible to face it. She has not moved on to this day. She no longer couldn’t about this loss.

And there was Bonnie. Her best girlfriend, who was as kind, humble, and loyal as she remembered her. But her loyalty was no longer tied to Elena, but to Damon. There was no question who would be saved by Bonnie in a life-and-death situation. The witch was very strong and Elena was secretly afraid of her. She knew she would never hurt her, but she was terrified of the day her best girlfriend would be mad at her for something, and she was afraid she would ruin her marriage because Damon was at least as attached to Bonnie as she was to Elena at the time.

This close relationship was now embodied before her. They stood sideways by the white table. They smiled at each other with sparkling eyes as Bonnie gave Damon a small package. The man carefully unwrapped the gift, which was a small wooden box. It is slightly larger than the one in which he stored the cure at the time. There was an expression on her husband's face that she had never seen before. He looked at the little box with reverence as he rotated it back and forth in his hand, then placed his free hand on Bonnie's nape and kissed the witch's forehead. He could have put that kiss on her mouth too, it wouldn’t have been much more intimate then either.

“You're amazing, Bonnie Bennett! I don't know what trick you did to find this, but thank you!” Damon's voice was gentle, full of love. "You are the most wonderful woman I have ever met."

And then there was anger in Elena. She saw the others as they looked at the two of them as if they knew everything. She felt isolated, lonely and betrayed.

Well, Elena Gilbert-Salvatore really did not know her husband. When they were both vampires and formed a party, they weren’t really talking. Their relationship was full of passion, an all-consuming desire for the other. They depended on the other as if their lives depended on whether they were together or not. This relationship was destructive to others and often destructive to themselves. Their lives were full of troubles, there was no time for God to really get to know each other. And during their marriage, they didn’t chew on the past. Damon didn’t tell Elena about his childhood, what the Civil War was like, or how much he loved his mother, and how deeply he regretted what he had told her when she died. As a married couple, they focused only on the present and the future.

Thus, Elena had no idea that the Salvatore family came from a small village in Italy. Damon and Stefan’s grand-grandparents started working in woodworking, and this was passed down from father to son. She didn’t know that Damon was born in Italy, but his parents rewrote the papers to give their children a better life so Damon Salvatore could automatically get the citizenship. And, of course, he had no idea that the little box Bonnie had brought from Rome was made by Francesco Salvatore for his three-year-old grandson before his son took them away from their home.

That's why her husband was so touched. At the time he was a small child, he cried incessantly after the box he had received from his grandfather. That's what his mother told him. He cared for a long time that he was lost, and now Bonnie had found it. Damon didn't remember much about Italy, but one. He loved his grandfather, who wasn't as cruel as his own father.

Elena finally broke the moment. She put her hand on her husband's arm and looked at him hopefully. Maybe they still had feelings for her in Damon. The man raised his bright blue eyes, which gleamed merrily. Elena let out a mischievous smile.

"I bought you something too," she said, still smiling.

Damon just grinned. He didn't know how to deal with the woman yet. He was deeply angry at her, but mostly at himself. In the morning, he hadn't thought Bonnie's return would have such a strong effect on him, but minute by minute his wedding ring was getting tighter and he felt drowned all day. He didn't want to hurt his wife, but he couldn't do it. He was simply unable to continue playing his role, and they kept thinking about their morning quarrel, and his conversation with Caroline. As Elena smiled at him now, he felt especially uncomfortable. Even then, he didn't step in because he didn't want to hurt the girl. How could you do that after all these years? What about Stephanie? He only felt guilt and anger when he looked at the woman he had ever called the love of his life. How ridiculous that sounded now. But he only tried to play for a little while to be with the woman who was perfect for him, while he knew full well that woman was just a few steps behind him.

"What did my wonderful wife bring me?" He slammed his two palms together and rubbed them together.

Elena handed him a small gift box and then kissed her husband on the cheek. Damon also returned the kiss to his wife's face. He really didn't want to kiss her now. He was afraid he would betray himself.

“Happy birthday my darling!” Elena whispered gently.

The man began to unpack the package and saw the Rolex in it. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't hide his frustration.

“A watch?” He said in astonishment. "I could have thought," he said.

Elena grimaced indignantly. 

“Do you not like?” She asked with some edge in her voice. Damon gave her a deplorable look.  
“I do.” The man's voice was mocking. "I really need a classic, analog, gold-plated, cherry Rolex. Thank you very much. 

Elena's eyes filled with tears. 

“I was just thinking that if we had to show up in a place where it was appropriate to dress elegantly, such an accessory would come in handy.” 

Damon's eyebrows ran to his forehead.

“Ooo or so!” He smiled wickedly. "So I'm your accessory which needs to decorate a little."

A tear appeared on Elena's face, which she quickly wiped away.

“I didn't think so. I wanted you to have something… special on you.”

Damon bit his tongue. He wanted to strike her face that yes, he wanted something special on him, Bonnie Bennett. He was already taking a breath to retort when he felt the witch squeeze his arm tightly.

“Brake yourself!” Bonnie said angrily. “You don't want a scene, do you? Slowly everyone is looking at you.” Bonnie pointed her head around the garden. She looked at Elena with relief. “I'm sorry! Sometimes he can be a huge jerk.” She still held Damon's arm tightly as she drilled her elbow into the man's side.

The elder Salvatore was flooded with waves of rage. He was angry with everyone right now. Elena's gift was another proof of how big mistake he made when he married her. A pretty watch he don’t even need just to show off how rich they are at boring events. Such behavior was infuriated by Damon.

He was also extremely angry with Bonnie, because if the witch didn’t go away and stay away for so long, to this day no one would know how deep his feelings for her, he wouldn’t have had to face it, and they could have turned out completely differently. the things. And he hated himself, too. Because of something he cursed to himself a hundred times. He wished he had never met Katherine.

Angrily, he tore his arm out of Bonnie's hand, then turned on his heel. The witch gestured reassuringly to Elena to follow her soon, then ran after Damon. As she caught up, she grabbed her friend's arm and turned it toward her, and Damon immediately pulled his hand out of her grip.

“Still, what the hell was that?” Bonnie asked angrily.

Damon blew up like an enraged beast. His blue eyes scattered sparks. That was the look of ‘I want to kill someone’.

“What did I miss?” The witch asked again, for she had not yet received an answer.

The man stepped in front of her. He leaned close to her, so there was only a few inches between their faces. He was still looking angry. He raised his nose and snarled like a mad dog.

"A lot of things, Bonnie Bennett," he hissed into the witch's face. "And if you hadn't left, it wouldn't have happened!" He raised his voice.

Bonnie looked confused. She didn't understand at all what her friend wanted to punch. She put her hand in her arms and leaned back slightly.

"You treat Elena all day like she doesn't even exist, and you want to tell me it's my fault ?!" Bonnie was getting angry, too.  
“Imagine!” He pursed his lips with a devilish smile. "If you had been here, you could have prevented the disaster." Then his angry expression returned again. "But you decided to ignore your best friend for a whole year! And here is the result!” Damon spread his arms angrily.

Bonnie rolled with rage. She pulled up her upper lips and her green eyes scattered sparks while her neck tensed.  
“I didn't ignore you! I didn’t disappear without greeting knowing I might never see you again!” Her voice snapped hard.

The man's features softened and he looked at the witch with a penitential face. The words Bonnie once said to him rang accusingly in her ear, _‘You hurt me!’_ He was back in that Brooklyn warehouse again. He stood beside Elena's coffin and saw Bonnie in front of him as tears plowed down her face. He lied, he lied to everyone. He couldn't tell the truth. He couldn't put the girl in such danger. And he's been lying ever since.

“Bonnie, don't be angry!” He finally said with clear remorse in his voice.

The witch just shook her head and smiled.

“Don't be angry too, Old Man! I know it was under the belt.”

Damon just nodded.

"But I don't understand then," Bonnie looked at him, still confused. “I thought everything was fine between you. You didn't say a word about… it when we talked.” She spread her arms helplessly, then put her hands in the back pocket of her shorts.

"I didn't mean to burden you with my problems." Damon pretended to chase a bird away from his face, then lowered his chin to his chest, glancing at his friend from there. "I'll explain everything tomorrow, I promise!" With that, he grabbed Bonnie by the arm and led them back to the guests. “Now let's enjoy the rest of the day!”

The witch was still a little confused, but she let the man lead her. She was terrified. Something was very wrong with the dream couple. Elena and Damon’s relationship was Bonnie’s last bastion. As long as the two of them are together, Bonnie has to keep her feelings in secret. For he was no better than one should be. She loved Damon more than anyone. She had to admit to herself that she didn't even feel that way about Enzo. She loved him, but her relationship with the mysterious British vampire did not come close to what had developed between the older Salvatore and the Bennett witch. The worst part was that Enzo knew that, too, and when he showed up sometimes, it was the man she had ever loved who constantly encouraged her to confess her feelings to Damon. But Bonnie couldn't.

But what will she do if Damon and Elena's marriage breaks down? Maybe that’s why she never let the relationship between them get angry. There were three people involved in this relationship: Damon, the husband, Elena, the wife, and Bonnie, their “therapist”. She protected them from making fatal mistakes because she was actually defending herself. She didn't want to face her feelings, she was as cowardly as Damon. But since her first night in Lux, she had nowhere to run. She tried, struggled hard, but it wasn't enough. Here she stood beside Damon, arm in arm, inhaling his scent, the astringent, masculine scent that swung the man around and could think of nothing but to kiss him, undress him, and make love with him on the kitchen table until the Earth ceased to spin its axis. around.

***

It was already dark by the time all the guests went home. Dorian took the invited students by bus from the Salvatore school. Alaric with the twins, Steph (who was allowed to sleep with Lizzie and Jo), and Caroline on his side also headed for Old Miller Road. Sheriff Donovan had left earlier because he had to be on duty tonight. Bonnie stayed last. As she said goodbye, she hugged Elena and whispered in her ear that everything would be fine. She then walked toward the front door as Damon escorted her out. They stood in the doorway on the porch. Damon's penetrating gaze examined Bonnie from head to toe. The witch began to feel uncomfortable. Her stomach tightened painfully and her body was impregnated by scorching heat. His friend looked at her like never before. It was as if he wanted to undress her with his eyes.

Well, he wasn't far from the truth. Damon felt more and more strongly that he wanted to change the current status quo, and somehow he had to let Bonnie know. He hadn’t had to wait another hundred and fifty years for a woman he loves. He has thought a lot in recent years since talking to Caroline. Since then, he has often remembered the night Sheriff Liz Forbes was laid to rest. Then he told Stefan that not all love is real love. It was only now that he realized how right he was. True love is patient, kind, does not brag, does not boast, does not behave hurt, does not seek its own benefit, does not get angry, does not blame evil, avoids falsehood and rejoices with the truth, covers everything, believes everything, hopes everything and never passes.

What he felt for Bonnie was like that. He became a better person next to her, not because of her. Bonnie encouraged him to find in himself the boy he had once been, accept the monster he had become as a vampire, forgive him, and move on. The Bennett witch has always been more of a partner in trouble than Elena ever was, and he'll have to tell her when the time comes.

Oh, though, if he had known what Bonnie Bennett's truly desire was, he might never marry Elena. In fact, he wouldn't have let Bonnie wake her up. (He was still a little selfish, though.) As Bonnie looked into Damon's eyes, she saw the same thing again as she had at the wedding. She could only think of kissing the man. Elena didn’t exist, in fact, the whole world had disappeared from her field of vision, leaving only the brightly glowing pair of blue eyes that Bonnie had never seen more beautiful in her entire life.

Damon stepped closer to her, breaking eye contact. He gently stroked the witch's face and Bonnie pressed it to his palm, then closed her eyes. At that moment, she had completely forgotten where she was. The man's touch was delicate, soft, but also electrifying.

"Never go past me again, Bonnie Bennett!" Damon told her softly, almost in a whisper. He leaned close to her. "Otherwise, I swear I'll go after you and drive you crazy." It has become much more frivolous, breaking the moment."

Bonnie pursed her lips.

“I promise!” The witch told him.

Damon kissed her face suddenly, but his lips touched the edge of Bonnie's mouth a little, either accidentally or intentionally.

“Good night, Bon-bon!” He told her with a smile. “Sweet Dreams!”

“Good night, Old Man!”

Bonnie turned on her heel and headed for her car as Damon watched thoughtfully. It was already in the man's mind what he would say to his wife. After a few minutes, he entered the house, their common home. Now he remembered the beautiful things. How happy Elena was when Damon showed her the plans. Then to when he lifted the woman up the threshold and they made love on the freshly laid floor. Then when Stephanie was brought home from the hospital. Damon hovered two meters above the ground from happiness to weeks. He enjoyed everything in fatherhood and holyly vowed that he would be completely different from his father. He took his share of everything because he didn’t want to miss a single moment of his daughter’s life.

He remembered their first wedding anniversary. Damon exposed himself properly. They didn’t go to a restaurant, the man was cooking Elena’s pet, and everything was so intimate. Where did the train slip out? Everything should be going in the greatest order, but somewhere halfway someone has shifted a gear and his perfectly planned life is racing towards the abyss.

***

As Damon waited for Elena in the living room to finally talk to her, Bonnie drove toward the graveyard. She had to visit Stefan if her head got clear. There were more confusing thoughts circulating in her at the moment. Damon treated her all day like a… she couldn’t explain. When the two of them were drinking or just making plans, maybe Damon jumped over to help her, they had moments, and yes, sometimes they flirted innocently because they knew there would be no consequences. But today, everything was too clear.

He acted catastrophically with Elena, and that meant Damon wanted to break up. She had never seen him behave so coolly with his wife. He had been angry at her quite a few times, many times rightly, and they were already on the brink of ruin. They had a difficult time when Stephanie was born and even after Elena started working in the hospital. Bonnie did her best to help them, but there were things she was unable to influence. Damon and Elena were very different from each other, and although the saying holds that opposites attract each other in a long-term relationship, sooner or later the couples have to conform to each other. That didn't happen. She has heard Elena complain countless times about how much she hates it when Damon gets herself into dangerous situations because of the school, or just how much of a burden he puts on her being so popular in town. She was constantly worried that news would go out of who they really were, and then an army of vampires wanting the cure would cover their homes. Bonnie told her every time that even if that happened, Bonnie read a protective spell to Damon that other vampires couldn’t find him. No matter how hard they tried, even if they could stand in front of him, they wouldn’t even recognize him.

And Damon just put up with it. They talked threw many nights about how selfish Elena behaves many times. The man told her he couldn’t find his place in the world as a human, and if it weren’t the Grill and the school, he wouldn’t know what to do with himself. He did not like to be a simple mortal. If Stephanie hadn’t, Damon would have used all his resources to become a vampire again. There was something else the older Salvatore never told anyone, only Bonnie saw on him, every single time when Stefan was spoken. The man blamed Elena for his brother's death. Whether this was conscious in Damon or not, he could not have known it had never been talked about, but his gaze kept staring accusingly at Elena as Stefan's name was uttered in their presence.

Bonnie knew that feeling well. There are things that someone encloses deeply, doesn’t want to think about, but they keep coming up. It’s enough to add a familiar scent or recall a memorable day. Such is the view of Grams’ house, or a photo shared with her mother and her father’s bedroom. Someone always had to be sacrificed for Elena, and Bonnie always pulled the shorter one. She hadn't blamed Damon for all that he had done for a very long time, because she blamed Elena too.

***

Elena walked into the living room. She saw her husband sipping a glass of bourbon comatically, considering each sip that rolled down his throat. She was scared. As she sat down on the couch, she pulled the skirt of her dress under her, tucked her long brown hair behind her ears and just stared at Damon for seconds. She waited.

Damon didn't look at Elena for a while, just turned in the empty cup in his hand, as if he waiting for advice on what to say from that lifeless object. He was never a man of words. He hated shaping, honey-glazed, well-chosen sentences. He was a straight man with a heart in his mouth, even if he hurt others with it, and much more his actions spoke instead.

“We have to talk!” He spoke for a long time, accompanied by a big sigh.

Elena's eyes filled with tears, her stomach shrinking a fist. Damon's voice was extremely serious and nothing promised much good. Her determination to tell him all about the Augustine experiments was completely in smoke. Her eyes opened today, and not just about Bonnie, though she was still not entirely sure what was going on between her husband and her best girlfriend. She saw Damon among his "men." In the Scooby gang, he got the attention and recognition he might have longed for all his life that Elena never gave him. She couldn't fight with it.

The last seven years had fluttered before Damon's eyes, and the circus that preceded him was eight. It was his turn to see what they had gone through together, how long he wanted Elena to be hers, how he knocked him off Stefan's hand, and how happy he was when he finally got the girl. But he had time to think about it enough. He looked at his wife, the woman who looked exactly like the first love of his life. To what extent did this fact affect his feelings at the time? He had to be shocked that he was very.

The last seven years had fluttered before Damon's eyes, and the elapsed eight years. It was his turn to see what they had gone through together, how long he wanted Elena to be him, how he knocked her off Stefan's hand, and how happy he was when he finally got the girl. But he had time to think about it enough. He looked at his wife, the woman who looked exactly like the first love of his life. To what extent did this fact affect his feelings at the time? He had to be shocked that it was very.

Countless thoughts ran through Damon's mind, while silently waiting for one of them to finally speak. Finally, Damon said the first thing that stuck in his head.

“I can't do this anymore!” As the words left his mouth, Elena raised her big, teary doe eyes in shock.

Damon sighed resignedly. Now he knew what to say, but even then the words came hard to his mouth.

“It’s not quite the ‘we live happily ever after’ life that we dreamed of.”

He said it was finally done. With each word that left his mouth, the glazed weight squeezing his chest began to roll off him.

“Just because we're having trouble?” Elena finally spoke. "Isn't everything going according to plan, and then you have to kick your whole life?" She was angry now.

Damon still stared forward with an expressionless face.

"Elena, we've been having trouble since we got together." He stood up and took a step closer to his still-seated wife, who was looking up at him from the couch. “Just think about it!” A mocking smile appeared on his face. “You decided to choose Stefan!” Elena just rolled her eyes. "Then…," Damon continued, "you betrayed him, and when we thought it was all right, you broke up with me, not once. And so on and on.

Damon needed another drink. Luckily, Alaric took care of it, so he walked over to the bourbon bottle open on the coffee table and filled a portion for himself. It's going to be a long night.

Elena jumped up.

“Just bring the bad things up! But do you forget how beautiful we experienced? Here we are, in our beautiful home, we have a beautiful daughter. We can solve everything because we love each other.”

As she spoke, she stepped closer to her husband. When she was at the end of what she had to say, she wanted to touch Damon's arm, but he pulled away from her and turned to Elena in a quick motion.

"Here's the problem," he smiled sarcastically. “I don't feel the same as I used to.”

Elena put her arms around and looked frustratedly into her husband's eyes.

“What do you mean by that?”

Damon walked past the woman, dug into his hair, and sighed deeply. This will not be an easy process.

“I became human.”  


“What?" Elena didn't understand what that meant. A complete misunderstanding appeared on her face.

Damon tried to gather his thoughts. How does he explain to her what his worries are without hurting the “love of his life”?

"When you woke up, I thought everything would be as it used to be," he began for a long time. “You know, fireworks, big bang.” Damon imitated an explosion with his hands. “We fall into each other’s arms and the happily ever… can go” Elena looked at her husband with her arms folded, her lips pulled thinly. “But it didn't happen that way. There was no fireworks, no big bang. It was just you and me. I wanted to feel as much as when I first saw you, after a while I believed that this marriage would work.”

Seeing Elena's face completely shocked, Damon felt he still needed to continue. Somehow he has to explain to the woman that none of them are wrong. In fact, Damon can do more about it.

"While I waited for you to wake up from your sleeping beauty dream, I changed a lot." I had a family that I almost lost because I crazyly thought that if I pulled myself out of the equation, I would protect them.” Damon rolled his eyes. He was just practicing self-irony.” I had friends who cared about me. There was Stefan, with whom we finally found our way to each other again, and I had to realize that it wasn’t all because of you. I wanted to be different.” Damon patted his own chest. "I became a better person without you, and when I found out, I didn't want to notice."

There were now unstoppable tears in Elena's eyes. She made no sound, just wiped her face.

“Are you saying you fell out love with me?” Her voice trailed off.

"Yes," came the simple, firm answer.

Damon looked into Elena's eyes very seriously. He waited for her reaction. For the past seven years, the ex-vampire has done his best to have a happy life with Elena. He felt indebted to her for all the many losses, sorrows, and tragedies that the Salvatore brothers had caused in her life. But today he decided he had done enough. It's time to move on before he wakes up to hate the woman next to him.

"Tell me something, Damon!" Elena said nervously. "It's all about Bonnie, isn't it?"

Damon swallowed hard. What does Elena know? Is that how much look? Will he tell her? In a fraction of a second, the questions raced through his brain. He decided it wasn't time to talk about Bonnie yet. They have to clarify the situation with each other first, and it is not certain that there will be anything between the witch and him.

“Bonnie has nothing to do with this. "As he said it, he realized it was the truth. Bonnie isn't the reason he doesn't love Elena anymore. "Bonnie is the reason we're still married at all." He said that barely, just in front of him.

Elena was completely shocked by this statement.

"Yet since… how long have you lied to me that you love me?!” She almost screamed. Her eyes sparkled, and she would have preferred to slap Damon.

A strange feeling swirled in her. It walked through her body as anger and despair overcame all her cartilage. It swirled in it like a vortex, penetrating all her cells. It felt more and more strongly that something was about to break out of her, but then it suddenly fell silent.

Damon didn't want to answer that, but he had to. For the first time in his life, he was afraid of his wife. She had a very crazy image and her eyes were almost lit.

“Look! I didn't lie about loving you.” He walked all the way in front of Elena, holding her face in his two palms. He tried to make her understand what was going on in him. “You were my great love, and part of my being will be forever grateful for what you have done for me and what you have gifted me.” He gently wiped Elena's tears with his thumb. He was extremely sorry for her and for themselves. That's not how he planned it.  
"But…," he looked into her eyes.  
"But…," now came the hard time, "… I'm no longer in love with you." He looked deep into his wife's eyes. "I have to be honest with you because you deserve it!" He took a deep breath, then slowly blew it out, then made eye contact again.

There were tears in his eyes as well. The situation was eerily similar to the moment he first told Elena Gilbert that he loved her, then compelled the girl to forget what he told her. However, he no longer had the opportunity to do so. He knew exactly what he was going to do will hurt the other, and he couldn't do anything about it.

"I haven't felt love for you in a long time. I clung to something I shouldn’t have because I was scared. I convinced both of us that this would be the best, because sooner or later the feeling would have to return.” Damon bit his lower lip, then lowered his head. “But it can't go on like this. We both deserve happiness.”

Elena was already sobbing. She backed away from Damon and buried her face in her hands for a moment. When she looked up, her gaze betrayed extreme sadness.

“You lied to me. You promised it would last forever. You took the cure. You said you wanted to grow old with me. You have lied!” She was already yelling at her husband.  
“I did not lie!” Damon exploded. “Then no! I imagined my whole life with you! And after you left, I insisted on it even after that!” Damon gasped to calm down, pulling heavily from the bourbon glass.

"What's going on with us, Damon?" Elena asked desperately.

The man didn't answer for a while, just stared at the bottle with only a few sips of golden juice left at the bottom. Alcohol seemed to have no effect. Damon's whole body was tense, his muscles stiffened, and he felt a lump in his throat. Then he looked at his wife. Now or never.

“I want to divorce!" It's been on his mind all day, his mind has been clicking on it for at least half a year. Today, however, everything came together. They hadn’t been together for two months, the fact that he had told someone how he felt about Bonnie, then the appearance of the witch, and finally the surprise. He can’t wake up next to a woman he doesn’t love anymore. ”That was all, Elena.

She walked to the couch. She didn't cry anymore. Completely shattered. Is this how your marriage ends? Though he thought everything would be fine. They will also get over their difficulties if he can finally tell Damon the truth. They’ve been through so much already, a little chilling isn’t the end of the world. But what Damon said, and as he said, had been there for a long time in her husband, and now it turned out it was there too.

“Why did you marry me?” The woman's voice was dry and expressionless. “And tell the truth! I think I deserve it after that.”

Damon pursed his lips.

"Because you got pregnant, and that was the right decision."

Elena nodded. She knew this, guessing it from the bottom of her heart, because that was why she got pregnant. She saw in Damon that he was not happy. They were constantly apart, and after a while, Damon had spent more time with Bonnie and Caroline than with her. Especially with Bonnie. If they didn’t meet, they talked on the phone for hours. Damon felt much better in the company of his best friend than with his bride. She had to do something because she felt like she was losing the man. Thus, she stopped taking birth control pills without Damon knowing it.

"Stefan and you were finally right," Damon said as he sat down in his armchair. “I shouldn't have gone into all this.“ Deep in his thought, he fixed the fireplace in which the fire flickered faintly. “I hate being human. Elena looked up at him. "I hate being powerless, hurting elsewhere every day. I hate that I get older, that anytime, anything can happen and I won’t be able to stop it.” He looked at Elena seriously now. "But you," he pointed out, "adore your average human life. You never wanted to be a vampire, and you found the way to change back because Elena Gilbert gets everything she wants.”

Damon uttered the words with a concentrated mockery, and Elena became angry about it. Here they started talking about the elephant in the living room. There were many unspoken things among them, the woman knew this well. Almost nothing was discussed. They agreed to leave the past behind, living only for the present and their future. Apparently, it would have been better if instead of a lot of bed exercises, sometimes they sit down to talk too.

“Don't you dare blame me!” Elena snapped. “You insisted I take the cure!”

“Oh yes! After my mother put it in front of you and you cut such a delighted, happy face as if at least I had asked for your hand. I didn't want to give you the cure. And do you know who was the one who highlighted this? Bonnie!” Damon shook his head. "If I had a choice, I'd give the cure to Stefan, but you and my mother wouldn't have allowed me that luxury. I knew if you took it and I decided not to, I would lose you.” Damon looked up at the sky. "You would have ended up in St. Stefan's arms, though I wished you good luck scratching Caroline off him."  


“I said let's give it to someone else!” Elena shouted back.  


“Oooo! And then? The reason Elena can’t turn back into a human is Damon Salvatore. Again, years of guilt would have tormented me. What if someone got pregnant again or things don’t turn out the way we want them to?” Damon's voice became brittle. "Not Elena, you decided much earlier, you just wanted to be sure." He pursed his lips. "Like I said, Elena Gilbert always gets what she wants. People around you are sacrificing everything for you, but I’m not doing this anymore.”

Elena stood completely scalded in front of her husband. Yes, someone was always lost when it came to being saved her and she felt guilty, but she would never have forced anyone to make such a sacrifice. Things simply turned out that way. Evil Katherine suddenly said in her head: _‘Really? Remember how Bonnie's grandmother died!’_

“Don't tell me!” Elena finally said. "If I remember correctly, the blood of every victim dries on your soul! If you want to carve so much in the past, do it!” Elena's face was completely distorted with anger. “Where do I start? If you don’t want to be so obsessed with freeing Katherine — Damon’s face twitched painfully at the name — then Bonnie’s grandmother would still be alive!” Elena was pleased to see that her husband was getting a little absorbed, so she continued. "You changed Bonnie's mother! You infuriated Elijah because they kidnapped me! You also turned my mother into a vampire!” Damon stiffened into a statue. “I have not finished yet! Did you say you became a better person without me? Well you're wrong! Without me, you became a monster who killed Tyler!”

Damon Salvatore was destroyed at that moment. Everything he had built in the last seven years had exploded into shards in a second. The carpet under which their problems were swept could no longer bear it. There was a lot of filth running out, lurking in the deep waiting for to get out of there. Elena still sees him as a soulless, selfish monster, in vain he worked to win the seed release. It proved again that there was no hope for him.

At that moment, he felt empty. Guilt was replaced by anger, but it had not yet erupted. He looked at his wedding ring and began to rotate deeply. The promise of eternal love. He felt stupid because he gave himself to believe that it would be the best for everyone. He hated himself for the moment he first saw Elena. Yet it was the moment that kept a piece of his intact mind when he was under Sybill's brain control. How ironic that it is the woman is scornful of him, for whom he and his brother have sacrificed everything. 

Angrily, he pulled the ring off and tossed it on the table.

"Pack your stuffs for tomorrow and leave the house!" He said coldly to Elena. "I'm leaving now, and by the time I get home, I don't want to see you here!"

Elena collapsed. She sobbed loudly. That's not what she wanted. It just came out because the man angered her.

"Please, Damon won't leave!" She stood in front of her husband, who looked back at her with a harsh, expressionless face. She grabbed his shirt, but the other did not respond. “Do not be mad at me! I didn't think so…” Her tears rained down, but Damon didn't care anymore. If she see him as a monster, she will get it now.

Damon tore his arm out of the woman's hand and pushed Elena aside. This marriage is over. No way back. He picked up his leather jacket and left with wide strides.

Elena crouched on the floor for long minutes, pulling her knees to her chest and embracing it with her hands as she cried bitterly. Suddenly the door opened and Damon entered the living room. Through her tears, Elena didn't notice the obvious differences.

“See, see, see! A suffering Petrova doppelganger.” Damon's voice was the same as before, but now full of mockery. "What a joyful sight to my heart."

He walked slowly toward her, his black boots making little noise. Elena raised her eyes, reddened with tears, and suddenly waves of hope flooded her heart, but only for a fleeting moment. She saw the man in front of her, whom she wanted to keep above all else, and who was now smiling wickedly at her. His eyes were cold, like ice, full of hatred for her.

“Damon?”  


The man didn't answer, just picked up the wedding ring from the table, twisted it in his hand, and then put it in his pocket. He squatted down in front of Elena, gently lifting the woman's chin with his fingers so they could face each other. He scanned the doppelganger with an expressionless face, then with a deep sight he shrugged and.

“I knew it was going to be my lucky day. And he didn't even have to read your diary. He will definitely be glad to see the March 20th entry.” Damon's sarcastic half-smile appeared on his face. "I took care of they found your dirty little secrets."

Elena's eyes widened as waves of recognition burst into her.

"It's impossible," she whispered. “You don't… you don't… It can't be.”

The man frowned and smiled mockingly again.

“But yes, love! I’m not Damon Salvatore, though he’s like my spit-off copy, isn’t he?” He looked deep into her eyes. He read her mind and applied some brain control. "And now I want you to forget you've ever seen me." Elena nodded silently.

Castillus walked out of the house, unfolding his huge, fiery red wings, and set off to visit his long-unseen father.

***

Bonnie was sitting at the Grill counter. She had already pulled the third shot from the bourbon. The bar was still very crowded with young people looking to have fun. Being Friday night, they held a karaoke night. The croaking of the drunken, falsely singing young men barely penetrated Bonnie's ear. She just stared at herself as she asked for another shot again. Three words repeated over and over in his mind: **Augustine, experiment, Liam.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Caugh, caught* Well, that was the end of the merriage of Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert. In the Bamon fanfóictions setted up after the final season is the hardest thing i think, how to handle Elena. It would be nice, it would be terrible, but allways need to deal with that Damon loved Elena madly in the show. And loved Bonnie in the same way. (See the letter to Bonnie from Damon). I dont know that i did it well. I have only hope i did as it should be, and you will like it:) I live my husband for a long time and i know about the arguments between two ppl. A relationship allways depends on two people and the arguments too. And catastrophies allways depend on one bad word or a wrong selected sentense, i think.  
> So, i hope i did it well.  
> Again I thank you for your watching and comments. I ask you to leave a comment again, or add a Kudo if you liked this chapter or argue with me. I will love it and i will answer all of hem. Have nice reading and day:) Thank you again:)


	10. Dear Diary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hy guys! Here is the new chapter! Thank yo so much for the nice words for every Kudos and every bookmars what you left me. These things help me to go on my way. Im trying to answer all of them as correctly as i can. Just keep reading and comments allways are welcome:)  
> In the chapter: I think the title speak for itself. And in the end where will Damon go and what will happen between our favourite witch and the ex-vampire? When you read it you will know it. *wink*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Motel - our room,  
> Our faith - our miracle,  
> And a thousand shards of glass.
> 
> Secret Island  
> Mine and yours,  
> Stolen - time - with you.
> 
> Chorus:  
> And the infinite,  
> In striking minutes,  
> I still believe  
> It's always waiting for us!
> 
> How long is ours?  
> (Our motel, our island.)  
> What would we ask forever?  
> ('Where we float,' where we love.)  
> How long is it?  
> ('Where do we stay if we want to!)  
> Not to be late?  
> ('Where's your chance to live with me.)
> 
> A room is the world!  
> (Our motel, our island)  
> For a few hours.  
> ('Where we float,' where we love.)  
> But around the corner a new day is falling on us,  
> Another life awaits.
> 
> Tension - release.  
> Heat - extinguished.  
> The desire - we drifted away.
> 
> Love - hug!  
> Because there is no other place, (another place)  
> To give you to ask  
> And so live.
> 
> Chorus:  
> And the infinite,  
> In striking minutes,  
> I still believe  
> This is always waiting for us.
> 
> How long is ours?  
> (Our motel, our island)  
> What would we ask forever?  
> ('Where we float,' where we love.)  
> How long is it?  
> ('Where do we stay if we want to!)  
> Oh, shouldn't it be too late?  
> ('Where's your chance to live with me.)
> 
> A room of the world!  
> (Our motel, our island)  
> For a few hours.  
> ('Where we float,' where we love.)  
> But around the corner a new day is falling on us,  
> Another life awaits.
> 
> (Our motel, our island)  
> ('Where we float,' where we love.)  
> ('Where do we stay if we want to!)  
> ('Where's your chance to live with me.)
> 
> A room of the world!  
> (Our motel, our island.)  
> For a few hours.  
> ('Where we float,' where we love.)  
> But around the corner a new day is falling on us,  
> Another life awaits.
> 
> /Zséda: Motel/
> 
> I link the video's URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md4-UssS60U

Chapter 9

**Dear Diary!**

Damon rampaged in rage. Elena's last words deeply wounded him. His most painful wounds reopened, and his greatest fears came to life. Despite all that he felt (and did not feel) for his wife, he trusted her. However, now it turned out he had back the wrong horse again. That's why he never played the lottery.

He was standing in a Salvatore crypt. Cursed angrily, he threw everything at his fingertips against the wall.

“Your fault!” He roared to Stefan's tombstone as he cut an even heavier stone against one of the walls. “I should have died! Destroyed along with that bitch!” Damon gasped. “But no!” He looked up at the ceiling and spread his arms. "St. Stefan, the hero got the bullet for me again!"

He kicked hard into one of the tombstones, which hurt his leg terribly. He growled loudly. He leaned against the wall with his two palms in front of his brother's plaque.

"You did it to me to have a happy life with Elena. Is it true?” he breathed. “Then I'll tell you something!” He continued with bitter anger in his voice.” You should not have! The thing is, we replaced Kitty Kate with Cruelena. Oh! One more interesting news, my dear brother: I am divorcing!” He pursed his lips mockingly. "We lived happily ever until the crap hit the fan."

He patted the inscription with his fist, then sighed heavily.

“You were right, again!

His eyes became wet, but he couldn't afford to cry.

“I wish you had been here.” He bit his lower lip. "I'd give anything if I could see your stupid, brooding face again! I'm sure you would have prevented the wedding.” He shook his head and smiled bitterly. "You would have swung your arm there at the last minute, 'Hey! This man does not marry with the right woman!’ And Caroline would have already compelled the priest to merry me with Bonnie.” He sighed another more as he closed his eyes.” I feel so dump myself.

He took a step back with his head down, and then he saw a densely packed book lying folded down at the foot of one of the tombstones. Damon went closer, leaning down to pick it up, but then stopped. The handwriting was familiar to him, and a name flourished from the words: Augustine.  
He picked up Elena Gilbert's diary, sat on one of the tombstones, and began to read.

He took a step back with his head down, and then he saw a densely packed book lying folded down at the foot of one of the tombstones. Damon went closer, leaning down to pick it up, but then stopped. The handwriting was familiar to him, and a name flourished from the words: Augustine.  
He picked up Elena Gilbert's diary, sat on one of the tombstones, and began to read.

_Dear Diary!_ 2024\. 03. 20.  


__

_I haven’t written in a long time because I just don’t have time for anything. I still have a lot of learning and work to do, so I take advantage of this little time and try to gather my thoughts.  
_

_I have to describe something, and while I’m not proud of what I did, I still felt necessary for my family’s future. Someone finally listened to me.  
The dean called me in last week. He told me he knew who I was. The daughter of Greyson Gilbert, the esteemed member of the Augustin Society. The university intends to restart vampire experiments, but this time they would use more “humane” methods for their research. He spoke of a mysterious investor who would be willing to support a significant amount of research to make an anti-vampiric drug available to everyone. However, the financing company is only willing to give money if I am also involved in the project. Allegedly, my knowledge and the information in the secret Gilbert diaries in my possession is essential to them._

Damon almost started to hyperventilate, almost having a panic attack. He had already guessed what the end of the bizarre story would be, but he kept reading. There was a faint glimmer of hope that his now-ex-wife had sent everyone to hell.

_Of course I said no. I wanted to tell Damon, but we got into a fight again. It happens often these days. He’s too exhausted, working a lot to open the new patio, and I think he misses Bonnie more than he’ll admit. I also miss her. I don’t even understand why she stays away for so long, but after all, this isn’t the first time she’s gone. I can see Damon is very worried about her, even though Bonnie can take care of herself. But I deviated from the topic.  
So, today I met someone who convinced me that it was worth getting into research._

__

__

**_March 20, 2024. Whitmore University, Virginia_ **

Elena sat on the terrace of the hospital buffet, enjoying the half-hour lunch break she had managed to fight from the chief doctor. She was extremely tired. As a resident, she had almost no time for anything, not even her family.

Damon barely spoke to her this morning, they just exchanged a few words while the man dressed Stephanie. She was worried. Their relationship has deteriorated a lot lately. Damon became impatient, constantly snapping up on something gagged, and spending more and more time at the Grill. Elena didn't like the fact that he had visited the twins and Caroline with Steph so many times. She feared the day might come when someone in the school would get too pregnant with vampire juice and kill Damon. She didn't want her husband to end up like Katherine. (Already when they were thought to really die as human beings.)

A shadow fell on her as she sipped his coffee, tearing her out of her thoughts. She looked up and was suddenly very surprised. Standing next to her was a tall, handsome, short-cut, dark-haired man whom Elena hadn't seen in a long time. Liam Davis was the medical student Elena had an affair with when Damon and Bonnie were stuck in the 1994 prison world. Elena just didn’t remember their love for Damon, but after the vampire returned, she threw Liam. Sometimes, she cried back for the carefree days she had spent without Damon.

Liam smiled broadly at her.

“Elena Gilbert?” He asked in surprise, sitting down next to her.

As always, this time he was confident in his performance, and he still seemed to be wearing his nose higher than he should be.

Elena returned the smile.

“Do you still remember me?” Elena's voice sounded mischievous. 

"Who could forget such a beautiful, clever," he lowered his voice here, and whispered in her ear, "a vampire girl like you."

The man's expression changed. He frowned and pulled his mouth thin.

Elena's eyes widened in amazement. She looked at Liam confused.

“Where from…”

She wanted to ask how he knew about vampires and him, but then a diary entry popped up for him, which Caroline had written. When Bonnie stabbed into Stefan the syringe filled with the cure everyone he had ever been compelled and was still alive began to remember. This could have happened to Liam when Elena tipped down the vial she had received from Damon in her throat. (If she thinks about it, she was the only one who voluntarily became human.)

They fixed each other with the man for a while. Elena had to find that age was good for Liam. His facial features became more definite, the line of his mouth became a little more asymmetrical, and the tiny mimic wrinkles made his face characteristic.

Elena leaned closer to the man and began to whisper softly.

“Look! I can’t even tell you how sorry I am for what happened to you.” She took a deep breath and continued. "It's a long story, but I'm not a vampire anymore. I have a family, a husband and a child.”

Liam smiled confidently at her.

“I know.”

Elena was surprised.

“After things popped up, I started to remember everything you wanted to forget me with great grace.”

Elena turned her head to the side in shame. Caroline, free from her human emotions, did a terrible thing to him, and Elena felt responsible for it.

"I started searching for the vampires and after you," Liam finished.

She nodded. She fully understood him, as she would have done it in his place.

Liam looked around, then turned to Elena with a jovial smile.

“When are you going to finish?” Liam asked.

"About half past six," came the reply.

“Wouldn't you like something to drink? I want to talk to you about something.”

The invitation sounded pretty serious, but Elena didn't think Damon would be happy for her if it turned out that his wife was just spending the evening with her almost ex-boyfriend. Given that the ex-vampire at the time would have preferred to rip Liam's heart out of his chest.

“Look! Elena began." I'm glad we met, but I don't think it would be good if we had a drink somewhere tonight."

Liam snorted mockingly.

“What an arrogance! I'm not calling you on a date! I just want to talk to you in a place that isn’t so… crowded. You owe me with that!

The woman was caught by the man's last sentence. He was right, she owed him to listen. Elena nodded in agreement.

“All right. When and where?

“Come to my apartment for seven! If you provide your number, I will send you the address in a message.”

"It's the worst flirtatious speech I've ever heard," Elena chuckled, but she pulled out her iPhone.  
Liam winked.

“I said I didn't want to pick you up. You are married. Too complicated.”

Elena glared at him. She shook her head, then they exchanged phone numbers.

At seven that night, Elena was standing at Liam's apartment, waiting for the man to let her in. They talked until eleven. Time soon flew away. With a bottle of wine, Liam told her about his memories, talked about what he had learned about the Augustine Society, and then told her what he had learned about Elena. The woman hadn't felt so liberated in a long time. Liam understood her concerns, he was aware of what the medical work involved. Liam had no family.

Then Liam told him that they had outgrown medieval methods in designing the Augustin experiments. They have no intention of torturing vampires, they would just examine their blood. True, the recruitment of “patients” is not on a voluntary basis, but it is dealt with by the Triad Company. The experiments would have two main goals: To develop an antidote to vampirism and make it reproducible, and to make medicine for hitherto incurable diseases with the help of vampire blood. Liam would work in the cancer research department, while Elena would be the leader of the antidote research team.

About four years ago, when Damon, Caroline, the twins, and little Steph went to the old Gilbert vacation home together, Elena found her father's secret Augustine's notes. She didn't tell anyone. At first she wanted to destroy them, but eventually she kept them and read them. Greyson Gilbert has accumulated a wealth of useful knowledge about vampires using highly questionable methods. But he has successfully created a drug that can cure congenital heart disorders. After more than three years of a coma into which she was exiled by a witch / vampire hybrid, Elena stood by the people. She wanted to save human lives, she didn’t care what the fate of supernatural beings would be. Although she loved Caroline and Bonnie, many times she felt that her girlfriends were just a threat to the world. Bonnie was capable of astonishing yet extremely dangerous things. She had gone far beyond floating the feathers falling out of the pillow. Damon told her many times that the witch was the most dangerous, scary creature in the world, and Caroline was a vampire who had to drink human blood to stay alive and turn off her emotions at any time.

As she listened to Liam, joining the project no longer seemed like such a bad idea. If they could develop and even, moreover, multiply the antidote to vampirism, they would no longer have to worry about being found by vampires longing for human existence. This would protect her family, once and for all, free the Earth from the dangerous blood suckers.

**_06/15/2024 The Salvatore family crypt_ **

_By the end of the evening, Liam was absolutely convinced me that it was worth restarting the experiments. Now I’m sitting here in the guest room trying to figure out how to give this to Damon. I don’t want to hurt him, and I have no idea if he would understand why I’m doing it. We do not really take the same position on supernatural beings. But I want to do it all the way._

Damon continued to read his wife's words in an almost selfless state. Elena did not provide details. It has not been revealed exactly what company is funding the disgusting company based on such inhumane experiments, nor how to “recruit” the subjects. However, he learned that during the experiments, three vampires had already died at the hands of Elena, all of whom were young, and although they had not been mutilated, the bloodsuckers had been tortured in countless ways. Yes, Damon and Elena did not have a position on supernatural beings. The older Salvatore brother wanted to protect them from the world and themselves, and Elena wanted to destroy them.

Terrible memories flashed in Damon's mind, as if they were snapshots of the past. A cold, dirty cell, a scalpel with which his eyes are dug out as his foot is cut off and then his spleen is cut out or just his fingers are torn off. Damon Salvatore was with the Augustin Company for five years with Enzo. It was Enzo who kept the soul in him, with whose help he finally got out of Augustine's hell, thanks to whom he survived at all, and who he finally had to leave behind. It was then that he was first turned off for more than twenty years.

He thought he couldn’t be more disappointed than that, then he got to the April 15th post. If he had still been a vampire, Elena and Liam's bodies would have been examined by the Whitmore coroner within a few hours.

_Dear Diary! April 15, 2024_

__

__

__

__

_I slept with Liam. It just happened. We had a long day and he called me. It went so well that there is finally someone who can understand me with whom I can honestly talk to. Liam looked at me the way Damon hadn't for years. I am tormented by guilt and I can’t stand Damon’s eyes, but the worst part is that some of me don’t mind that it happened that way at all._

Damon knelt motionless on the ground. He stared stiffly at himself like a saltbow. He wanted to scream, but no sound came out of his throat. He didn't take a breath for seconds, then quickly gasped. He felt completely empty, as if his soul had been torn out. He couldn't even decide what was hurting him more. The fact that the woman who knew exactly what he went through courtesy of the Augustine Society now works for them, or that the woman for whom he was willing to sacrifice everything at the time, for whom he did so much horror, for whom he resigned from his soulmate, divided her body with someone else.

As much as Damon loved Bonnie, he respected both women so much that he would never have cheated on Elena with her best girlfriend. Between the witch and him, though there were some fishy situations between them, only a single kiss never snapped.

Elena, on the other hand, slept with someone else. Glowing hatred and anger overcame him. All his losses, all his sacrifices, all the suffering he went through because of Elena suddenly tore at him. Damon felt himself fall. He went deep into a bottomless well from which there was no escape. It was almost like hell. Eventually, anger overcame him, and it gave him the strength to stand up. Loudly, like a wounded beast, he roared, then picked up the largest stone he had found and slammed it into Stefan's tomb with such force that the plaque cracked in two. Damon, however, didn't care at all. Still holding the diary in his hand, he slammed it between the trees to where he left his dark gray Tesla. He tore open the car door, then slammed himself into the driver's seat. He tapped the wheel as he insulted Elena with selected insults.

It took just one look to fall in love with her, and it took just one sentence to getting hate her: I slept with him. He felt himself terribly stupid. Just as he realized that the first love of his life he had been waiting for for 145 years had lied to him about everything. But it was even worse. Elena believed everyone that she was a kind, bona fide, compassionate creature who wouldn’t be able to hurt others, and then it turns out it’s all just a nice, bright pink glaze on top of a cake full of worms.

After calming down a bit, he started the engine and headed for the only place he could hide: Bonnie. And this time the witch was home.

***

The five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. It is said that everyone who goes through some loss goes through this, be it the end of a relationship or the death of a loved one. Mourning takes time, which varies from individual to individual. Everyone experiences it differently. Some are unable to get to acceptance for years, while others get stuck in the denial phase. Damon did exactly the same after Stefan's death. Even after seven years, he could not accept that his younger brother had died. He was still waiting for Stefan to walk in the door and hug him.

However, it only took half an hour to mourn the end of his marriage. It was in this time that he reached from the cemetery to Bonnie's house. The denial came first. There must have been something wrong. Elena would never do that to them, to him. He should go home to discuss things again. Not everything is lost yet. Stephanie shouldn't grow up without a mother. Maybe someone is moving the threads from the background or they’re just making a bad joke with him. Then he remembered how strange the woman had behaved in recent months, and the anger came.

He wanted revenge for being so badly betrayed. He wanted to take Elena's life into small pieces so that in the end she would be left with nothing but loneliness and bitterness. At the same time, he wanted to ruin the life of that little puffy, idiot, wife-basting bastard. He had contacts. He had already written together in thought who would be called to carry out the revenge. Caroline was the first on that list. If all this gets into his sister-in-law's ear, she'll kill Elena. Then Stephanie will be half-orphaned. With that, he also slipped through the bargaining phase.

Disaster can still be prevented. He needs to talk to Elena. If he went back to her, he could persuade the woman to give up the whole Augustine thing, destroy everything, and their daughter wouldn’t have to grow up in a truncated family.

He remembered the "experiments." Enzo's screams, his own roar, and two very familiar numbers that often appeared in Elena's diary: 12144, 21051. The subject of 12144 was Lorenzo St. John (rest in peace, or in the strange dimension to which Bonnie sent him), and subject 21051 is Damon Salvatore.

Depression came. Waves of despair and hatred took turns pouring in stages. He blamed himself. He was the cause of it all. She should never have married Elena Gilbert. In fact, what more he should have avoided Mystic Falls from a long way, then Stefan might still be alive. He would like to have a drink with the prettier girls. They would sip tequila and Damon would sip them. He missed that carefree life, the ecstasy of blood-drinking as the warm, red, life-giving fluid fills his mouth. The touch of velvety skin, the overwhelming pleasure of sex, where you can feel the smallest touches intensifying. Your skin vibrates, your body tenses, and the presence of the other fills your whole being. Damon loved to be a vampire, and the only thing worth getting human was Stephanie.

He arrived in front of Bonnie's house. He stopped the engine, but hadn't gotten out yet, just stared at the house from which faint light filtered out. It was Bonnie's home, and where Bonnie was, it was Damon's home.

The witch kidnapped his heart long before he noticed it. As he longed for Elena, something changed in him, attributing it to his falling in love with the Gilbert girl. It was too late to realize that whoever was responsible for the change was an extremely judgmental, impassioned, annoying little witch who was unaware of her boundaries and therefore always able to cross them. He didn't even confess to himself, but he always cared. He used her, poked her, annoyed her, but he liked her very much. From the first moment, she was one of the few whom Damon trusted unconditionally. He never saved her for Elena, it was just easier to say that. Who would have believed him that he really wanted to protect the Bennett witch, when many times even he was unaware of what he was doing. He did what his instincts whispered to him.

Today, however, he is attached to Bonnie in the same way as no one else in his life so far. He has lived on Earth for 185 years, and during that time he has lived a lot. During the Civil War, he fought for an idea he did not believe in, and even deeply despised. He went through two world wars, the greatest crises in history. He shook hands with Churchill and sucked the Nazis dry with pleasure. He saw people transcending the limits of their bodies without any magic, merely with the help of their minds. But he only understood as a human being what really mattered in life. Responsibility, family, trust, love, loyalty. All of these things tied him to Bonnie Bennett.

By the time he reached the witch's porch, he was already in the acceptance stage. His anger flew away, his digestive rage and torturous despair being replaced by a well-feeling of relief. Because it is the end of something, it always carries with the possibility of a new beginning.

He dug out the keys of the house from the pocket of his jacket, opened the door, and then crossed the threshold. He stood chilled for a few seconds. Something was wrong. The only source of light was the street lights and the light of the infiltrating full moon, but even through the twilight he could see that something great had happened. The last one here he had everything left in military condition, but now the place looked like a bomb had been detonated. Suddenly he was very scared. Shattered glasses lay on the floor. The shards of glass crackled under Damon's boots as he slowly stepped inward. The furniture lay in disarray, the chamber door swaying half-torn. Leaning against the door jamb, a drunken, slightly torn-looking Bonnie Bennett stood holding one of the bourbon bottles from Damon's secret set, from which she sipped at frequent intervals.

“What the hell happened here!” He asked in astonishment.

Bonnie walked toward him a little rumbling.

"And here's Damon Salvatore!" Bonnie lifted the bottle into the air. Her voice sounded bitter. “The love of Elena Gilbert's life!” She almost spat out the words. “The hero, the knight, the savior!” Bonnie snarled. “Congratulations!” She got her hand in front of her mouth with a surprised play. “Oh really! The audience is dead!” She shouted the last word into Damon's face, in whom the anger began to break in again. “They died because of her! For her!”

Bonnie reached for Damon. The man mocked up his upper lip, snatched the bottle from the witch's hand, and then took a big sip of the bourbon, but did not take his eyes off the other. Bonnie stood in front of him in loose shorts and a spaghetti striped, body-tight top. His face was distorted with rage, and his beautiful green eyes scattered lightning.

He hadn't looked at him like that for so long that Damon had forgotten how much he enjoyed that look at the time. Tiny glowing dots appeared in Bonnie's iris, and the man thought he could even see a ripple of magic in them. She pulled her nose up and pulled her lips, her lips to kiss, into an angry grimace. He loved this. Still, Bonnie was angry at him. To him who did nothing. Now. Just.

“What?” Damon asked a little nervously.

The witch laughed mockingly, her laughter seeming almost devilish.

“Oh, nothing, Damon!”

She turned her back and trampled toward the kitchen, and the man followed.

“You came here again! Do you want me to hear how you pissed of for your wife? I saw how you behaved at the party!” She suddenly turned on her heel and poked Damon's chest with her long thin finger. “Did Elena break your heart again?! You know what? I'm not curious about you!” The witch roared, and the kitchen utensils left intact trembled. “I didn't care! I don't care what happens to you! I am no longer interested in Elena Gilbert's well-being and happiness!” A glass shattered as Bonnie's anger finally surfaced.

Damon wasn't scared of her. If it was the little witch's intention to get him out of here, she would have had to get up earlier. He once promised her that he would never be left her alone again, and he took this very seriously. So he set the now empty bottle on the kitchen counter, grabbed Bonnie's wrist, and finally pulled her close.

He could also feel the woman's violent heartbeat through the soft tissue, which was almost in perfect sync with his own. He forced her to look him in the eye. He wanted to see what was going on in her and let her know that she was not alone.

“I have some good news, Bon-Bon!” He hissed into Bonnie's face. He was nervous too. "I don't care about Elena anymore!"

Bonnie didn't want to believe her ears. The sentence she thought would never leave the man's mouth slit sharply in her ears. There was a long silence between them. The witch just stared at nothing because she didn't know what to say. Thoughts swirled in her brain like a windstorm, a series of incoherent images, memories, feelings. If Damon doesn't hold her, she must fall. The wall that kept them from being together began to crumble dangerously.

Bonnie slowly pulled away from Damon, and the man let her go. He walked toward the secret set into the pantry to bring out another bottle, dropping his jacket on the chair next to the kitchen counter. He had completely forgotten that he had crumpled the diary in his overcoat pocket, so it knocked loudly on the ground.

As Damon dug the next bottle out of the chamber, Bonnie noticed the little booklet. Coolly, she lifted from the ground, the object that had ended a decades of friendship.

When she reached the crypt and managed to contact Stefan, she was still aware that things would be sorted out between Damon and Elena. Although the man was a little weird, it was Damon and Elena! About one of the most epic loves in history. They were like Romeo and Juliet or Arthur and Ginever, Tristan and Isolda. Their love seemed endless.

Then she read Elena's diary. At first, she didn't even know what to do. She couldn't go to Damon because she was afraid if she saw Elena, she would kill her at that moment. If she calls Caroline, the vampire wouldn't need much to suck dry their ex-best girlfriend either. She decided to go to the Grill, but after a few glasses she preferred to leave the bar because the crowd was too big. She found the secret set at home. She knew where Damon had hidden it.

After each glass he knocked down his throat he got angrier and angrier. Her Grams. Sheila Bennett was the only one who understood what she was going through when her magical abilities surfaced. She taught her and warned her to stay away from the vampire drama. Her Grams never liked Elena. She always said that the man who easily gets what he/she wants can’t appreciate what he/she has. It’s easy to get used to the fact that it benefits him/her. Sheila's victim seemed pointless now. She paid with her life because Elena didn't want to lose Stefan. That's when the kitchen cabinet door was broken.

Abby Bennett turned into a vampire because of Elena’s safety. Bonnie finally understood that the Salvatore brothers had no choice, but even then it was all about Elena again. This sacrifice was for nothing. Then the plates from the cupboard was fall to the ground.

The chase for the antidote, which was again in the hope that Elena could become human again. My God, since Bonnie almost died so that her best girlfriend wouldn’t turn, and because of that, she had to go through again that her Grams would die. Of course, everything slipped aside, and after Jeremy’s death, no one but Damon Salvatore cared what happened to Bonnie. She had to bring Jeremy back, because this time Elena had to be saved on her own. And Bonnie died. Jeremy's life in exchange for her. (Damon brought her back because it was again the older Salvatore who tried harder than anyone.) Then she threw the furniture against the wall and broke one of the window panes.

When she remembered his father's death, Bonnie screamed and the lights went out. She had to watch as Silus cut his throat and she couldn't do anything about it. But the worst thing that happened to her in Elena's defense was Enzo's death. Together they hid her body, and the turned-off Stefan wanted to destroy it so he could reshape his brother into a monster, and Enzo was on his way. Then the chamber door was torn off.

Then Bonnie sat down, leaning against the kitchen counter because there was something else she had given up, something else she wanted more than anything: Damon.

The man was now standing in front of her, as free, and Bonnie knew he had read the diary. But what will happen next? What future awaits them? For now, Bonnie thought it best not to overcomplicate this already complicated situation. Everything stays the same. She needed her friend more now, she needed him very much.

Damon stepped out of the "hiding place" with sloppy movements. He paused for a moment as he saw Elena's horrible writings in Bonnie's hand. He sipped one out of the bottle as he glared at Bonnie with one eye.

“Are you reading that, Bon-Bon?” He asked in a chat tone. The witch nodded. “Great bedtime story for adults.” Damon grinned falsely. “Do you want?” He handed the bottle to Bonnie.

Bonnie took it as she cut the booklet to the counter. She also took a sip, then another, and finally handed the bottle back to her friend.

“I was thinking of making a lavish little horror movie out of it.”

He walked to the intact parts of the kitchen cabinet, searching for a glass. After finding two, he put them on the counter, showed Bonnie to sit down, and spent both of them.

The witch shook her head. She had always admired in Damon for being able to swing things through so easily. The man had gone through so much, he had been broken so many times, he had been on the edge of the abyss countless times, and he had fallen into it with his head, but he always climbed back. He appeared, flashed the famous Damon's sarcastic half-smile, and life went on. This is what happened now, and Bonnie could do nothing but smile how tough her friend was. She knew full well that they would solve this, as always.

“What do you think, Bon?”

“Hmm. Bonnie relaxed, too. “I think so. Oh! And let’s not forget the eighteen plus details either.

“Ahhh!” Damon grimaced in disgust. “I can already see the poster in front of me. Elena Gilbert is the vampire hunter who takes up the fight with a hypodermic needle instead of a stake against the evil monsters of the night.” He pointed to himself. “That would be me. One of the handsome actors could play. Say Chris Hemsworth?” He turned to Bonnie with a questioning look.

The witch tried to answer with enough seriousness.

“Or Hugh Jackmen? He's such a real bad boy.”

“Come on, Bon! He's too old.”

Bonnie chuckled. Damon pointed to her necklace, on which Enzo's blood in a vial hung in a silver-framed pendant.

"Don't miss our friend Enzo. You can choose that actor.”

“Thank you!” Bonnie glared at him with playful modesty. “How receptive you are, Old Man.”

They both laughed, but soon died. Damon chewed the edge of his mouth while Bonnie looked at him questioningly under her lashes. She knew very well that her friend from within was suffering a lot now, and it would only break out later. She didn't know when, but she was sure she would be there by his side. They will get over this together. Elena betrayed both of them, the two people who loved her the most.

Damon thought everything through quickly. Elena and Katherine were the great loves of his life. For a while he thought they were just similar on the outside, but now he realized that the two women were the same on the inside. There were more of Katherine in Elena than he thought, and in the end, the two doppelgangers had always loved Stefan better.

"We are the obstruction between two people’s fate." Damon said for a long time.

“What?” Bonnie asked in confusion.

"That's what Tessa told me when I wanted to free Stefan. She chitchatted about the doppelgangers, and that Stefan and Elena belonged together, the universe assigned them to each other. And I’ve been done with them since today. Whichever one pops up next time, I wouldn’t be interested.”

Damon would have continued, but then he saw Bonnie's tennis ball-wide eyes.

“Bonnie? What is this Heureka moment for?”

The witch swallowed hard. It was easy to forget what the real reason was for her return, but now it popped up in her mind. Lucifer's words echoed in her head: ‘Again, the doppelgangers have won.’

"Elena is a Petrova doppelganger," Bonnie whispered to herself.

Damon was now watching his friend intently. Bonnie chewing her lower lip, she would be thinking about something hard. 

“And?” Damon asked urgently.

Bonnie looked at him with open lips. Then she swallowed hard, cleared her throat, and smiled compulsively.

“Damon! You better sit down now.”

The elder Salvatore stared at her incomprehensibly. He walked around the kitchen counter, pulled a chair under him, and sat down in front of the witch. He was waiting. Bonnie looked very serious.

"I told you about Lucifer, didn't I?" Bonnie began cautiously.

Damon's face darkened slightly, but then he grinned mockingly.

"The handsome, sexy-accented guy we know technically nothing about? Don't tell me you're already engaged?” Damon tried to hit a chat tone, but from the inside the jealousy chewed him.

Bonnie playfully slapped her friend in the arm.

Do not be jealous!  
\- Yeah! No way. Damon cut a pouting face. - It just hurts you replaced it. You seemed to have a new best friend. - The man just wanted to sugar the woman.

"Do not be jealous!"

“Meeee? No way.” Damon cut a pouting face. “It just hurts you replaced me. You seemed to have a new best friend.” The man just wanted to teas the woman.

Bonnie rolled her eyes.

“Oh, Old Man! You are like a fever I can’t shake. Remember?” The witch wiggled and chuckled, then changed to a more serious tone. “Damon, hold on to something now!

A mischievous smile slid across Damon’s face. He knew what he wanted to hold on to, and he wouldn't let go after that. He was still scared, but he knew himself well. He will soon be on the right track. He didn't know yet how long it would be take, what tricks he would have to do, but he would conquer the witch, but this time he couldn't head to the wall. He has a daughter to look out for, and their friendship, which was the most sacred thing for him, didn’t even want to be ruined by accident, he just wanted to level up.

"Lucifer is…," Bonnie continued. “the devil.”

Damon shook his head, then laughed out loud.”

"I don't condemn Bon-Bon, but I think you drank too much. Or the sun hits your head. Whatever.” Bonnie looked at him in shock. "Kad died, we burned the hell to ashes." Bonnie coughed. "Good," Damon rolled his eyes. “You destroyed it. There is no more devil.”

The witch sighed heavily, then began again. She looked deep into Damon's eyes and spoke in a very serious voice.

"Lucifer Morningstar is the devil of himself. I touched him and saw everything. The Hell exists.”

For seconds, they just gazed each other silently, until Damon understood finally.

“No!” Damon shook his head. “It can’t be! I don’t....”

Bonnie sighed again, then nodded.

“Do you know what that means?” Damon almost screamed. “Oh my God.”

Seeing Damon's desperate face, the witch was very sad. She knew the older Salvatore was afraid of going back to hell. There were so many terrible sins on his soul that no one was surprised. But Damon atoned for and punished himself many times over others. He has long won the forgiveness of those around him. Bonnie raised her palm to the man's face and turned it toward her. She smoothed her thumb gently along Damon's zygomatic bone. The man again acted instinctively in response. He took the beloved woman's hand and then kissed her palm with his eyes closed. This moment was too intimate. The temperature rose by at least ten degrees in the room, while the tension could almost be touched between them.

As the man's soft lips touched her palm, Bonnie sucked in air through her mouth. She had to bite her lips so she wouldn't moan lustfully. It was too much for her at once. She had to say something to break the moment.

“Do not worry!” She finally said. “Lucifer is not that bad.”

Damon tore himself out of the spell. He could barely concentrate on what she was saying. What the hell is going on with him? It was about him moving slowly, now he almost laid into her. The next step would have been to pull her in and then kiss her, and god forbid, they wouldn’t have stopped there and put his neck on it that Bonnie had left him. He cleared his dry throat and flashed a mocking smile, finally turning back to his glass, from which he drank the remaining bourbon in one shoot.

"You know well, I won't let you go to hell! And the devil owes me anyway.”

Damon grinned broadly.

"Bonnie Bennett, I may have said that before, but you're the scariest person I know." He winked. “I like this.”

The witch smiled at him, too, but before the control slipped out of her hands again, she continued

“I was in Los Angeles for half a year because Lucifer helped me find out the Travelers. He has incredible connections in both the human and supernatural worlds. He knows things we haven’t even heard of.” Damon raised an eyebrow at the question. "It's not just witches, werewolves and vampires that live around us." Bonnie took a sip of her drink. “Angels, half-creatures, demons.”

Bonnie remembered Mazikeen. The woman was one of the demons of Lucifer, but the witch often saw her as a wounded little girl who could tear off anyone head at any time. She kept swaying around the devil because she was created to serve him. They made very good friends with Maze. Bonnie was able to practice various self-defense techniques and combat spells with her many times. In the meantime, they partyed a lot together, drank, and talked about all sorts of incredible things. Maze understood why she couldn't be with Damon and once asked if she would kill Elena for her. She may not say no now.

"The point," she continued, "is that Lucifer knows about the doppelgangers, and not everything happened exactly as Quetsiyah had served us at the time. The situation is much more complicated than that.”

“I'm listening!” Damon turned to her in curiosity.

And Bonnie told him everything she had heard about Lucifer, carefully avoiding the moment the devil took out of her her secret desire. By the end of her story, Damon was enlightened. The enchantment revolving around the Petrova doppelgangers sounded quite logical. He remembered the day he first saw Katherine. He simply couldn’t resist the woman’s beauty, he fall for her in moments, and after that he cared about nothing but getting her. He wanted to fight the feeling, but he couldn't, just like with Elena.

There was something else that made Damon sure the theory was right. When he pulled down the ring and finally decided that this marriage was over, something happened to him that he could not explain. A feeling raced through him, as if freed from the huge chains that were tied around his soul. For many years, there was always a coercive force in Damon that encouraged him to stay with Elena, even when he already knew he loved something else. Now, however, he could see clearly, and it filled him with immense satisfaction.

He picked up his phone and started to write a message. Bonnie looked at him questioningly.

“Who are you writing to?”

“To Alaric.”

“Now?”

“He will receive the message in the morning.” Damon has already finished. He looked at the witch with a “I have a plan” looking. "I know where the school students went, and I think you'll have something to say to the band, Bon-Bon."

A wave of recognition ran through Bonnie as well.

“Do you think, that… ?” Bonnie asked.

"I'm sure the students are subjects of Cruelena de Vil's experiments." Damon's face frowned and his gaze became very serious. "I won't let the Augustines hurt more of them."

Bonnie got up from her chair and looked back at Damon just as seriously.

“Me neither! We have to stop them!”

Damon got up, too, and was already buttoning his shirt.

"But we'll have to get some sleep now. We will need a clean head tomorrow.”

Bonnie walked upstairs. She knew what that meant. There was no need to ask where the man would sleep. Next to her. They both headed for Bonnie's bedroom.

They were already cuddled on the huge double bed. Damon kept an emergency sleeping gear in Bonnie's bathroom for the occasions when he slept with her. (Sometimes he felt himself like a gay friend. The problem was that Damon wasn't gay.) They were already half asleep when Bonnie spoke.

“Where's your ring?”

Damon calmed his chin on the witch's hair while Bonnie snuggled to his chest. They also crossed their legs. It provided them with all the comfort, the reassurance they both wanted for now. No one knew about these sleeps together, not even Caroline. Everyone was left in the belief that when Damon spent the night at Bonnie, he slept on the couch, but the man had never done that before. After cases that was really challenging, or when Damon broke into nightmares again, they fell asleep in each other’s arms. It seemed right and good in that way. 

“I'm getting divorced, Bonnie.” He replied. "We fought, it followed word for word, I told her I wasn't in love with her, and she called me a monster. That's it.” Damon buried his face in the soft brown curls.” Sleep now!”

But Bonnie was a little angry now. Leaning on her elbow, she leaned closer to the man.

"What is it that she called you a monster?" Bonnie fumed.

Damon tried to joke, but he didn't do so well.

“She hurled to my head that without her, I’m nothing more than a killer who killed her childhood friend.” Damon pointed to the bed. “Sleep!”

But Bonnie didn't let it go.

“You believed her!” She raised her voice. She knew the man well. “Did you believe her?!”

Damon shook his head. He will not get escape of it now. Bonnie won't leave that.

“Nooo… that much.” It's obvious that he believed her.

Bonnie suddenly grabbed his face, which for Damon didn't expect at all. He could barely keep his balance and nearly puffed on his back as the witch's glowing gaze held him.

“How many more times do I have to beat you in your head! You are a lot. Often unbearable, compulsive, an orbital asshole going after his own head who doesn’t care about the consequences, but You. Are. Not. A. Monster.” Bonnie was panting. "Your sins are forgiven, Old Man!" She finally smiled.

Damon really just wanted to add a soft kiss to her cheek. He wanted nothing more than to thank his friend for standing next to him, but the gesture stepped aside, and as he rose to touch with his lips to the witch's face, he accidentally found her mouth. There was nothing more than a breath of a kiss than the touch of the swinging breeze, yet the bodies of both of them trembled. They stared at each other in silence for a moment, none of them knowing what was going on, then, true to Damon's good habit, cut to the middle of the things. He will be slower tomorrow.

He grabbed Bonnie's nape and kissed her. The kiss surpassed all his imagination. At first it was just gentle, they tasted each other as Damon's tongue plowed through Bonnie's lower lip asking for admission. The witch did not hesitate, opened her mouth, and their tongues began to dance crazy, wild, passionately. It was as if they had both waited for this their whole lives. Their whole bodies burned with fever as Bonnie felt her magic come to life on its own. The pair of candles on her desk lit up and an unnatural breeze swept across the room. The kiss deepened, the Bennett witch rushing her fingers into the raven-black hair of the older Salvatore while the other pulled her even tighter. Damon felt this was the most perfect kiss of his life. Every part of his body longed for it more than anything. He forgot everything. There was no more Elena, Katherine, no one but him and Bonnie. The world shrank to one point, into Bonnie's lips.

When they could not stand without air, they parted from each other's mouth, panting violently. Suddenly the air around them became pregnant. They had no idea what had happened before. It took them a few moments to get themselves together. Bonnie dug into her hair and wanted to stand up, but Damon grabbed her arm.

“No!” That's what he said. “Please!” He looked at the witch with a pleading look, who still unable to recover. “Let's just sleep! We will return to the theme tomorrow!”

Bonnie suddenly jerked her head to the side.

“You kissed me!”

“It was a coincidence!” Damon raised his hand defensively. “Just a longer friendly kiss.”

Bonnie laughed sarcastically.

“Is that what you call a friendly kiss?”

"Imagine when I really want to kiss you!" Damon teased.

Bonnie threw a pillow to his face and couldn't help but laugh. They can still pretend as nothing happened. Maybe. Damon struck back with the pillow. It was a call to a pillow fight. A fierce pillow battle ensued between them as they laughed and teased each other, and at the same time the tension slowly began to escape from them. Damon is right, they'll talk tomorrow or not.

At the end of the pillow fight, they were again comfortably side by side. None of them wanted to talk about the kiss, it wasn’t the time yet. They fell asleep slowly, hugging each other.

In his dream, Damon felt a sharp pain between his shoulder blades, and fiery red wings flashed in front of him. It wasn't a nightmare, but he was instinctively get closer to Bonnie in the night. 

***

While Bonnie and Damon slept the dream of the righteous. Three dark figures visited the Salvatore family crypt, two men and a woman. They wore torn clothes, their sunken faces revealing that they had not been able to get accommodation or hot food for a long time. They stopped in front of the fenced-in entrance of the crypt just past the huge tombstone of Giuseppe Salvatore.  
They began chanting in an unknown language by the time the magic protecting the crypt had dissolved. They walked into the dark, cold room at once. They headed straight for Stefan's ashes. They saw the broken board. The tallest of them walked straight in that direction and started chanting again. The inscription which closing the urn was gone, and the other two figures took Stefan's ashes. They walked out of the crypt without a word with a dangerously pleased expression on our faces.

***

Stephanie woke up screaming. It didn't take long, and Caroline vamped into the girls’ room.

“What happened, sweetheart?” The blonde asked, full of concern.

"Uncle Stefan," she breathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!:D But what will be the consequences? And will they can handle it? We will see in the next chapter. 
> 
> Thank you again:) And leave a comment if you liked it and leave if you didn't!


	11. Awakenings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new translated chapter:DDDD Hurray:D I was in a mess We renovate our kitchen so my dearest readers sadly you need to wait the chapters more than avarage. Oh, i need to write the hungarian version too. So it will be take more time to update my work. But i promise i will work on it hard. And the most important thing for me: Thank you! You gave me more than you think when you write me comments. I have no one in my environments who i can talk about my story with, so your comment my only option to see that i do my work well or not. So thank you again. Million kisses to you:D Keep reading and i will be the happiest person in the world:D 
> 
> And about the chapter: We get to know the leader of the Travelers a bit. Learn out what happened when Stephanie was baptized, What kind of abilities Steph has, and what is happening after the kiss. So, i hope you will enjoy it:D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Appeal  
> Oh, Magyar, keep immovably  
> your native country's trust,  
> for it has borne you, and at death  
> will consecrate your dust!
> 
> No other spot in all the world  
> can touch your heart as home—  
> let fortune bless or fortune curse,  
> from hence you shall not roam!
> 
> This is the country that your sires  
> have shed their blood to claim;  
> throughout a thousand years not one  
> but adds a sacred name.
> 
> 'Twas here brave Árpád's mighty sword  
> ordained your land to be,  
> and here the arms of Hunyad broke  
> the chains of slavery.
> 
> Here Freedom's blood-stained flag has waved  
> above the Magyar head;  
> and here in age-long struggles fell  
> our best and noblest, dead.
> 
> In spite of long calamity  
> and centuries of strife,  
> our strength, though weakened, is not spent;  
> our country still has life.
> 
> To you, O nations of the world,  
> we call with passioned breath:  
> "Should not a thousand years of pain  
> bring liberty—or death?"
> 
> It cannot be that all in vain  
> so many hearts have bled,  
> that haggard from heroic breasts  
> so many souls have fled!
> 
> It cannot be that mind and strength  
> and consecrated will  
> are wasted in a hopeless cause  
> beneath a curse of ill!
> 
> There yet shall come, if come there must,  
> that better, fairer day  
> for which a myriad thousand lips  
> in fervent yearning pray.
> 
> Or there shall come, if come there must,  
> a death of fortitude;  
> and round about our graves shall stand  
> a nation washed in blood.
> 
> Around the graves where we shall die  
> a weeping world will come,  
> and millions will in pity gaze  
> upon the martyrs' tomb.
> 
> Then, Magyar, keep unshakeably  
> your native country's trust,  
> for it has borne you and at death  
> will consecrate your dust!
> 
> No other spot in all the world  
> can touch your heart as home;  
> let fortune bless or fortune curse,  
> from hence you shall not roam!
> 
> Theresa Pulszky; John Edward Taylor the traslaters (Original version by Mihály Vörösmarthy)  
> And here is the music version of one of the most important national song:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmsI0BcFq6w&t=17s

Chapter 10

**Awakenings**

Stephanie Lillian Salvatore. She was born on June 15, 2019, in Mystic Falls General. Her mother, in great pain, labored with her for 16 hours while her father waited outside in the room reserved for visitors, walking up and down nervously as Alaric and Bonnie tried to calm him down. An obstetrician, a midwife, Caroline Forbes, and her mother, Elena Gilbert - Salvatore, witnessed her birth.

There was no question of a giving birth with father. Elena begged, cursing, doing all her tricks, but her husband refused to toe the line. He considered that a man had no place in childbirth. This lesson was etched deep in his brain when his younger brother was born. He was seven years old when her mother was surrounded by midwives, and he accidentally opened the room where the woman was in labor. There was plenty of blood, disgusting body fluids, and the sight of a chunky, sweat-smelling old woman rushing angrily to him to get thee gone from the room, otherwise she would cut off his dicky. Little Damon Salvatore ran in fear until the end of the garden. But when he was called back and they gave to his brother into his arm, his fears immediately dissipated. He looked at the tiny package and promised to protect the little newcomer from all trouble.

When his daughter was given it to him, she felt the same way. Infinite love, pride, touched. He couldn't imagine that such an innocent, clean thing could come of him. At that moment, his human being made sense to him.

Damon Salvatore never believed in God. He was baptized a Catholic, attended Mass every Sunday, but saw a mere formality in the ceremonies. He was materialistic-minded, believing only what he saw. By the middle of the 19th century, newly discovered things had spread like wildfire around the world. Every nation was trying to gain its freedom, and they realized that the church had lied to them, in very many ways. The sciences evolved, and Damon wanted to be a part of that development. That's why he applied to university. He wanted to discover everything the world could give. He wanted to see the huge skeletons, the hidden secrets of the pyramids, the customs of different peoples, the things of the past. He wanted to take part in bizarre experiments, he wanted to know what electricity was. He was interested in everything.

Then the war came, for a meaningless purpose. He did not understand the difference between man and man. How to sell someone like meat in a slaughterhouse. He hated the Lockwoods, who treated their slaves like animals. He didn't set before the Gilberts anymore. Hypocritical gang who have absolved themselves of responsibility by housing blacks in their houses. But he had to go to the front line, where he experienced all forms of human cruelty. It was then that he finally decided that there was no god. But, if God exists, he does not want to serve such a cruel being.

He came home broken, with the weight of guilt on his shoulder, tormented by nightmares. Katherine Pierce chased away those nightmares. The knowledge that there was someone who wanted him gave him incredible reassurance that he would then get to the bottom of the pit again.

By becoming a vampire, he did not begin to believe in the higher forces. Moreover, he increasingly felt that everything the world was building was just a web of lies, in which human beings were just squirming fish exposed to vampires at the top of the food chain. He considered magic only as a miracle not yet discovered by science, he did not attach much importance to its existence.

Then he got to know the hell and began to believe. If there is hell, then heaven must exist. That's why he baptized his daughter. Although he still did not believe in the existence of a god, but if there was a tiny chance that this baptism would protect the soul, he did not want to stand in it’s way.

This is how Stephanie Salvatore became a Roman Catholic. For Damon, there was no question about who the godparents would be. Bonnie from his side and Jeremy from Elena's side. And the older Salvatore brother didn’t even suspect that the baptism of his daughter was not a mere formality. The little girl became blessed. But not by the holy water that the priest poured on her head, or by the cross that he ceremoniously waved over the little girl. It was a real blessing.

After the baptism took place and the Mass was over, Elena talked to their friends at the entrance to the church, while Damon was still standing at the altar with the baby, barely six months old. Only they were left alone in the church. The older Salvatore looked up thoughtfully at the cross that filled the entire wall that hung behind the altar. He thought of the sufferings of Christ, and he remembered that, including the terrible crucifixion, the guy had got off lightly compared to him. Then he murmured softly in prayer: Our Father. He hoped that anyone up there, or anywhere in the universe, would listen to his request or accept his repentance. At the end of the prayer, just as he had learned about 150 years ago, he crossed and then walked toward the exit. However, a voice stopped him. It was grated, yet sweet, like the syrup he used to pour on his pancakes. Damon shivered.

As he turned around, he found himself confronted by an old, grey haired priest, who smiled jovially at him and strangely scanned the ex-vampire with his watery blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Salvatore!" Said the priest.

Damon nodded, signaling that he would accept the greeting, but did not want further interaction with the opponent. But the man stepped closer and still looked down at little Stephanie, smiling.

"You can say you're really lucky to have such a treasure in your hand."

Damon draw himself up a little. He pleased as punch. He smiled faintly and murmured a thank you in front of his nose. The priest then touched the little girl's forehead. For a moment, the father thought he could see badly because light seemed to be leaking out of the old man's hands. He shook his head and the phenomenon suddenly disappeared. He stared at the old man, who was still smiling. Damon shivered again. He wanted to shout for Bonnie to see if the witch could help him, but he couldn't tell her what he needed help with. All he needed was his best friend next to him.

The priest spoke again, but this time in a soft, kind voice that reassured Damon in the blink of an eye.

“Don't be afraid, young Salvatore!” Damon's air suddenly stalled. “You won't see the hell anymore.” The priest touched his shoulder. "The Lord has very different plans with you."

Damon stood completely frozen in the middle of the church among the empty rows of benches as he watched as the old priest slowly disappeared from his sight. He didn't tell anyone about it later, not even Bonnie.

***

Stephanie Lillian Salvatore saw things. Things that others don't. Places she had never been to, but she knew they exists. She just knew. Stephanie felt things. Things that others felt. She didn't have words for everything yet, but she felt it. She knew when someone was sad and also when was happy. Stephanie heard things. Things that others thought. She had to touch others for this, but she could still hear them and be able to talk to them through her thoughts.

When it first happened, she must have been very tiny. Aunt Bonnie was just taking care of her, and suddenly, when she touched her godmother, she heard her, though words did not leave her mouth. It all came naturally, Steph didn’t do it on her own, but she really liked the thing. It was an exciting, pleasant feeling that belonged to her.

Next time she was with her dad. Again, she didn't do it consciously. Her father couldn't answer her, as Aunt Bonnie did, and it made the little girl very sad. She had heard her father's thoughts, but not all of them were for her. Her dad was scared then. He sworn to Stephanie not to tell her mom what had happened. She's not trying to do that to her. And Steph understood.

She noted sadly that her mother had not been able to benefit from all the good things the headspeech had given to Stephanie. Her mom wasn’t happy when the magic or school bring on. However, Stephanie loved both. By the time she was four, she knew she wanted to be a fairy, such a fairy princess from who her dad used to tell her in the evenings. She loved the stories about the hero knight and the fairy princess. She wanted to be as strong as they were. She wanted to protect everyone.

And she loved the school too. She went there every day. Mom couldn't know that either. For a while, the she went to the “normal” preschool, just like the kids living next door, but one day Stephanie wanted to help a little girl who was constantly bullied by others for her weight. Steph walked over to her and touched her face. She tried to pass on the feeling of love and radiate happy pictures to her mate, but the other child was very scared. From that day on, Stephanie couldn’t go back to the “normal” school, but she didn’t mind at all. Her dad tried to explain to her that she was different from the kids in the neighborhood, but it wasn’t needed. Steph understood. But at the Salavatore School, she didn't feel herself different. Those around her were the same as her; special. There she felt herself in safe, happy among the students, and so she could see Lizzy and Jo, her two best friends, every day. They even made a secret club where there were only three of them. When all three touched each other, the twins were able to conjure up beautiful and funny things, but the club was also a secret.

She kept quite a few secrets for her five years of existence. For example, she didn’t talk to her father about seeing Uncle Stefan from time to time, or to Aunt Bonnie about often contacting her Grams, her mom about being special, and going to Salvatore school. And for adults, she often communicates with vampires with the headspeech. She loved to talk to them in that way because the bloodsuckers gave her pictures that helped her drive away her bad dreams.

In one such dream, her mom fell into a dark stack and Steph couldn’t save her. She saw people suffering in another who experience the same horror over and over again, but the worst nightmare of all was the one in which her father dies.

However, the night after her birthday, she saw something completely different. She knew Uncle Stefan only from a picture and from her dreams. She knew he was in the best possible place where he was happy, but now he was gone. Someone will take him out of there and suffering awaits him again. They are forcibly torn out of a place that Grams always calls peace.

***

Ivan Petrova was already 185 years old. He was born on the same day as Giuseppe Salvatore's eldest son. The heavens made an evil joke with him because his mother had died on the maternity bed, so his father hated him forever. By the time he was ten, he had no intact bones left that his father would not have broken. By the age of twelve he was already working hard on the fields, eating just enough to keep him from starving. His misery lasted until a beautiful woman appeared at their door. Her touch was cold, and her eyes, along with her face, changed ugly at times. The beautiful lady was looking for her mother, Katerina Petrova, but the head of the family could not provide an answer.

The little boy overheard their conversation and learned the story of their family in a nutshell. They were once powerful wizards, but the Petrovas no longer wanted to practice the magic of darkness at the cost of human sacrifices, so they turned away from this way of life. Since then, the Petrova family has been migrating from village to village.

Little Ivan was very caught up in this story. If he could be a powerful wizard, he could escape from here, he would have the strength to leave this hellish life behind. He hoped their beautiful guest would finally release him. In a sense, his prayers were heard. The child Ivan could watch as the woman tore his father's throat with her long, pointed teeth and tossed his corpse to the floor of their humble little house, then turned in a pale voice as if she had done her job well, and said only:

“You're free now!”

From then on, Ivan Petrova took care of himself. He toured all areas of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Terrible times followed for the people in the post-revolutionary period. Selected forms of starvation, poverty, forced labor, and retaliation. War of Independence, how ridiculous it sounded. A handful of determined soldiers can’t stop a huge army. And who took the lead? A skinny, weak man who wanted to make a name for himself that way. But Ivan longed for real power. So he visited the buttery medicine-men, the mines, who showed him the nature of the real magic. He met the Travelers, the Travelers of Lilith. He has been keeping alive himself ever since and is waiting for Lilith to come.

He remained in a country of vomiting fate that eventually managed to gain its independence, but at what cost? The fate of the country seemed to reflect its own. Its formation required human sacrifice, not a little, it was torn, corrupted, but not broken. The people in her were tenacious, just like him. Their fate was his fate. That's why he stayed in Hungary, and because he was able to hide well on these 93,000 square kilometers. He also founded a family, of which only two are alive: Mária and László.

However, more than a year ago, he had to leave the country he got love very much. He preferred to disappear from the political leadership. The government got on the people and he couldn’t let them find out anything about him. He took his two adult children and headed west. But even so, the strange feeling of being watched remained.

During the trip, he heard many rumors from the supernatural world. He was mainly interested in rumors about the doppelganger and the child of from the dead became living. The little girl is blessed and has tremendous power. Her birth meant that Lilith's incarnation was close and her prison could be opened soon. It took a lot of things, however, most of all, blood of the doppelgangers, the blood of the last doppelgangers. 

Ivan was now sitting in a dirty motel room not far from the Mystic Falls border, looking thoughtfully at the gold-plated urn with Stefan Salvatore's name scratched into the brittle metal with kacky letters. It didn't take much anymore, and he could catch the Perova doppelganger. It all depended on the timing. He just had to wait patiently for the right moment, and he will can free who could finally endow him with real power.

***

The rays of the morning sun came out lazily from the clouds. First, it pulled the Salvatore Boarding School at the end of the Old Miller Road into bright lights, where little Stephanie Salvatore slept deeply in her aunt’s embracing arms. The blonde vampire stayed by the girls for the night to take care of the little ones’ dream.

Then the life-giving sunlight crawled on the city. Mystic Falls also began to wake up slowly. Their owners arrived at the stores, waiting for the first stray customer. It was Saturday, so not many had walked the streets yet. The first rays of the sun did not escape Elena Gilbert, who finally cried herself to sleep on the large double bed, which she would never share with her husband again.

The bright light also flooded the smaller, tidy house in which two good friends slept the dreams of the righteous. It peered out the upstairs window, illuminating the peacefully snarling, raven-haired man lying on his back, then smiled warmly at the brown-skinned witch. One of the woman's hands and feet hugged the adonis next to her, while her head rested on his chest, licking her friend's T-shirt.

They had an adventurous relationship, even legendary, and even more, perhaps made in heaven. It may have been so ordered from the outset that a Salvatore and a Bennett finally found each other in the stormy sea of life. Not knowing what might have been what ultimately swept the two of them towards each other. Doom, fate, predestination, or merely an interplay of coincidences? It didn't even matter. If someone ask them who they would be stuck with on an uninhabited island (or with whom they would be locked up again in a world where no one else is), they would choose each other without hesitation.

Whether it’s love or more, maybe less, would be hard to say. Because what separates love from like? The desire? The feeling that they just want to be with each other? Maybe the pain caused by the other’s lack? Or the knowledge that you would do anything for the other?

Being in love with somebody is an emotion that will pass quickly. It flares up, destroys, causes pain, but it is beautiful and liberating. You soar like an eagle. You feel as you can do anything. When you are in love you do not think clearly, your eyes become blind, your hearing becomes selective, you can only focus on one thing, the object of your love. Besides, you don't care about anything. But what's left if it passes? What happens after the pink mist dissipates? You look around, then realize where you were wrong, and if there was no connection other than love, then everything that connects you to the other being is dusted and then lost in obscurity. Years later, you won’t even know why you wanted to be with the other one at all.

Love always gets on fire quickly, one word is enough, one look. True love is not like that. It opens slowly, like a precious orchid. At first, it just unfolds its leaves, then the first buds appear, and finally, at the moment of fulfillment, it shoots a beautiful flower. But this flower never withers. The power of true love does not depend on it, it does not wear out, it does not cool down. It takes root in a person’s heart and there is nothing that can pull it out of it.

And here they laid, Damon and Bonnie. The man's arms hugged protectively, softly, the wonderful creature half asleep on him, while with the other hand he holds her hand which resting on his chest. They snoozed next to each other as if it were the most natural thing in the world, though many, many years ago, when someone tells them that they will find real joy in the each other, they must be laughing at each other, maybe Damon will taste that one.

But after many, many years, through so many sorrows, troubles, they finally found, side by side, what they needed most: peace. They are both against the world. Allies from enemies, friends from allies, something completely different from friends. More. This was the most perfect definition to determine the relationship between the two of them. Ever since Damon became human, they have developed perfect harmony with each other. They found the rhythm. They had constant habits. After difficult incidents, such as capturing the cursed werewolf, Frank Briant, they went to the Grill together and drained the tension next to a bottle of bourbon without the gang. If they drank too much, Bonnie stroked Damon’s back and made sharp remarks about his low alcohol tolerance while the man vomited. When the witch found herself in a similar situation, Damon laughed out holding her hair and threatened to make a blackmail material one day, which he would distribute to all students at the University of Whitmore.

Karaoke night was invented together. It turned out that Caroline had invited them to sing together at the school’s opening ball, and it turned out that both Bennett’s witch and the older Salvatore brother had a pretty much good voice. The idea came to their mind at the same time: what if the hidden talents could show themselves, then Damon thought further, and seeing a source of income in it, bought a complete karaoke equipment, printed a couple of posters, and voila, Friday night karaoke has enjoyed unbroken popularity for four years.

And there were bad days. On the anniversary of Shiela Bennett's death, they walked with Damon to her grave. They both paid their respects to Grams because that seemed right. Then Damon stayed with her. They took a hike in the woods, recalled their memories, and became able to laugh at themselves. Damon will be forever grateful to the two Bennett witches because they ultimately saved his life after the Other Side collapsed. To going to Lily Salvatore's resting place regularly, surprisingly, Bonnie pleaded him. She told him that apology from his mother should be part of her penance. Lily was eventually buried again. She was given a proper Catholic farewell, where Caroline and Alaric were also present, and a heretic, Valerie, who was thought to be lost, showed up. To the blonde vampire-witch, Lily was like her mother. And although she did not part from the older Salvatore with exactly the best taste, they remembered the mother of the Salvatore brothers together that day.

Then Damon went to Bonnie. This time because he couldn’t explain the reason of his sadness to Elena and didn’t want to listen to her apologize to him. He thought if there was anyone who understood what it was like to mourn the one you loved more than anything, whom you adored as a child, that was his wife, but he was wrong. Elena helpfully listed the atrocities committed by the heretics courtesy of her mother. She didn't miss the fact that she had to lie in a coma because of Lily, or that she kidnapped her body. (Again, it was all about Elena Gilbert.)

But Bonnie didn't speak, just listened. She waited in silence for Damon to pour out his soul. She let him rage, cry, swear, let him mourn. Then she took his hand, led him into her room, and they lay down next to each other, just as they did in Mystic Falls in ’94 at the time. There was nothing erotic in these coexistences because it was not merely the desire of the other in their bodies, but their souls in need of one another.

Damon was always there with Bonnie. Whatever it was, when the witch called, he immediately jumped. When the witch became ill, she was cared for by the ex-vampire. He made her an old family recipe, the famous Nona’s spicy tomato soup. Among Stefan's belongings, he found the ancient collection of recipes, which contained the notes of the female members of the Salvatore family. It turned out that there were a lot of things hidden in the attic of the old boarding house that he hadn’t even known about before, because he hadn’t really paid attention to it. Bonnie and he joked that this would be Damon's grimoire. He can add it to his own recipes and then pass it on to the next generation.

When it came to fighting, the man recklessly wanted to protect his friend with his body. After the first case, after realizing that his previous combat experience was already quite useless, he started training with Alarick. Damon learned quickly, which surprised everyone. In a relatively short time, he mastered the basics of two popular martial arts, karate and judo, but then came the real surprise. Damon could do Kung fu. When, when asked, how this is possible, the answer was, _‘I was bored in the early 1900s, so I went over to Tibet to climb the big mountain, and then I got stuck there for a while.’_

Bonnie and Damon also held workouts, which became regular after a while. Twice a month, in the school gym, the two good friends weighed their strength. The witch exercised control, while the ex-vampire exercised various forms of defense. And those few hours they both loved. Damon called it to himself as a stolen time that was just theirs, and Bonnie never felt herself more liberated.

But no matter how close the relationship between them became, it could not be fulfilled. They used to have problems with timing. When Bonnie realized what she was really feeling about the man, the older Salvatore was too madly in love with her best friend. By the time Damon wanted to step in, Bonnie had found happiness in another man’s arms, and no matter how much he wanted to tear Enzo to pieces, he didn't want to ruin her friend's life, and owed it to Enzo not to ruin his relationship.

Now, however, in the hope that the other would find true happiness, a series of bad decisions were made by both of them. Bonnie left, Damon asked for Elena's hand. Bonnie came back and did her best to make the man’s marriage work, and Damon followed her advice so they didn’t have to face their own feelings. Damon was afraid to hurt Elena, and he was downright afraid of the risk of losing the witch. But yesterday, the wheel of destiny turned again and they crossed a line.

***

Bonnie woke up to the smell of fresh coffee, then the smell of roasting pancakes penetrated her nose, and then she heard the whistling Damon. She yawned and stretched her limp limbs, then pushed herself up on the bed in slow movements. With a deep sigh, she looked around the room and saw the scattered feathers from which she reached the bed, the floor, and her hair as well. During the fierce pillow battle she fought with her “best friend,” one of the “weapons” broke out. As she overlooked the soft white fluff, the sadness broke out. She picked up one of the feathers and then used her magic to lift the others.

It was the first spell she had shown to Elena, saying goodbye with it to her when she fell into a coma. She loved her so much. She owed her the most beautiful moments of her childhood, they shared everything with each other, they were like sisters. Despite her deep feelings for Damon, Bonnie was never as angry with Elena as Caroline was. She believed that her friends would live happily ever after, and eventually she would find someone to live her life with.

But deep down she knew what Elena was like. Her kindness, her caring nature, was just the surface. From their young age, she loved to be the focus. She loved being a pom-pom girl because that way she could get the best guy in the school, Matt, who Bonnie had a little crush. Elena got everything she wanted from life. Her parents loved her very much and pampered her a little, which made her girlfriend easily to think the whole world revolved around her. Then the Salvatore brothers arrived, and indeed everything grouped around Elena, as if the girl had her own gravitational field. Everyone had a role to play in this Elena universe. The two brothers served as a living shield for her so that the beloved woman would not get harm. Caroline acted as a consultant, Matt Donovan was the reserve man, the others were just statisticians in this endless game, and Bonnie… Bonnie Bennett was the sacrificial lamb.

A thin strip of tears ran down the witch's face. She wiped it quickly with her hands, raised her head, hardened her face. It was the last tear she had shed for Elena. She betrayed everyone, but she made the biggest mistake there by hurting someone who Bonnie loved very much.

She slowly got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. She opened the tap, then poured some cold water into her face, then took a big sip from the tap. Her head ached dullly, her mouth felt dry. She took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. The “sweet” agony of a hangover reached her, too. She looked in the mirror to face her own tormented reflection. Her gaze fell on her mouth. She gently touched it with her long, thin fingers; she remembered the kiss back to yesterday evening. Another question mark. Why did he do it? What should she tell him? What will Damon say? The fact that he made her breakfast whistling was not a novelty on the one hand, and no conclusions could be drawn from it on the other. It could mean anything. In any case, Bonnie didn’t want to wait awkward moments between the two of them or play with courtesy excitedly wondering what the other would do. It was very far from them. But that kiss…

Bonnie didn't live the life of saints after Enzo's death. She really tried everything what the life could give her, and he certainly had a good few adventurous cases with some pretty weird figures. Far behind, she left the inexperienced, innocent girl eager to finally reach Jeremy Gilbert for fulfillment. She also learned a lot with Enzo, mostly about vampire sex. She loved the sensuality of how the man treated her body, but she hadn't even experienced it with him. Damon was either that good, or there could have been some great witchcraft about it, because she had never occurred to her to lose control of her magic in more intimate situations.

The kiss that snapped between the two of them was far from friendly. He evoked thoughts in Bonnie that might have guided their friendship into dangerous waters. Damon loved her, it wasn't a question. But she wasn't at all sure if last night's little interlude was for her, or it was just because of the man's frustration. They were best friends. Damon was the person closest to Bonnie. They shared everything with each other, and the witch trusted him completely, even before the man became human again. She realized what Elena might never do. It is not Damon who must gain the trust of others, but the others must to achieve his; and this can only be done if you are open to him. Damon was like a wounded animal; you just had to turn to him with complete confidence, and then he revealed his true face. After what the man had been through for almost two hundred years, it was no wonder. Bonnie felt lucky to be one of the few who could enjoy the man’s unconditional trust.

As she walked down the stairs, she was determined to bring up last night’s kiss only if Damon was too. There is no need to complicate an already complicated situation too much. Mystic Falls is slowly getting everything upside down again, so hard times will await them again. 

When she got down to the living room, their little ‘friendly kisses’ slipped to the last place on the ‘things to worry about’ list. She looked around the ground floor, which looked like a disaster-stricken area. The sofa lay broken on the floor, and it’s pieces lay all over. Some pictures fell from the wall, so shards of glass covered the reddish-brown, flower-patterned carpet. The kitchen didn't paint better either. The cupboard doors swayed open, and small pieces of plates and glasses covered almost the entire room.

Damon stood behind her kitchen island in his black pajamas. He made the dough for the pancakes with quick, practiced gestures as he tried to gather the kitchen utensils left intact. He slumped a kitchen towel carelessly over his shoulder and sang Taylor Swift's Shake it off loudly with the radio. He seemed to be in his element. However, Bonnie knew that nothing was over with that yet. Sooner or later, the man will break out and woe to whoever will be near him then. This is what the witch called the Damon's silence before the storm.

“Good morning, Carrie!” Damon grinned at him from behind the counter as he took the pancakes out onto a shredded plate.

Bonnie dug into her hair and sighed heavily. When she looked up, she tried to force a smile on her face. She was very worried that her magic had broken out so uncontrollably. This was the last time when it happened to her when Silus manipulated her. She tried to dispel her worrying thoughts. She sat down in her chair and pulled the mouth-watering pancakes in front of her.

“Another nickname, Old Man?” She said, taking a big bite of the cake.

Damon winked and his mocking smile didn't slip out of his mouth. He also got a few bites, then poured coffee for both of them, and finally sat down opposite Bonnie.

"I'll get some pig blood next time," he teased. “That would be more effective.”

Bonnie raised an eyebrow. _He is stupid._  
"Do you want to talk about it, Bon-bon?" Damon pressed the letters "b" strongly.

“Still, what about?” The witch asked, as if nothing had happened yesterday.

In response, Damon had only scanned his friend's face with searching looks, like he was waiting for the other to finally say something.

“God, Damon!” Bonnie sighed. “Well. What do you want to hear? How did I get upset? That last night was one of the biggest disappointments of my life? How do I feel betrayed? How if Elena were here, I'm not sure I'd leave her alive?”

Damon switched to a slightly more serious expression, but he wouldn't let him leave his good mood.

“Auch!” He tapped his heart with playful suffering. “That hurts! Was it really that much of a disappointment last night? I thought I was good at kissing.”

The nibble almost lodged in Bonnie’s throat. So he chose the option of ‘discuss it, but don’t attach great importance to it’.

“So, that's what you want to talk about?” The witch asked cautiously.

Damon shrugged, as if he wasn't particularly interested in the thing, but his eyes revealed something completely different. He waited anxiously for what the woman's next sentence would be, and then in the end only he spoke.

“Not necessary. According to my philosophy of life, kissing is based on not having to talk.”

“Kiss?” Bonnie asked doubtfully. “You said it was just a friendly soft kissy.”

Damon smiled widely.

“This is the talk!” He shouted. "You know, I was tired yesterday, I got a little drunk, I left my wife, who cheated on me and tortures the little munchkins I prosthetized. Sometimes things just happen that way.” He waved his hand as if to let the other know that it was ‘not a big deal’.

Bonnie just shrugged, too.

"Smooth," she nodded. "Anyone can kiss their friends when they under themselves. It's good you didn't go to Alaric.” Bonnie cast innocent glances at the man over her coffee cup.

Damon reached for the hint, but just grimaced, then sipped his coffee, too. He slowly put the cup back on the table. His facial expression changed completely. It was most reminiscent of a puppy who knows he did wrong and now wants to repay his owner.

“Look, Bon! I just want to know if we're okay?” He finally asked.

Bonnie didn't answer right away. She leaned back in her chair, which squeaked dangerously, but thankfully didn't break, then crossed her arms across her chest and looked at the man a little angrily.

"What happened last night, Damon?" she asked.

The older Salvatore swallowed hard. He had no idea what to say about it. He woke up in the morning that he would have to somehow talk about what had happened between them because he really didn’t want to feel himself uncomfortable near Bonnie. But that kiss… Well, in 185 years he had a thing a lot of women. He didn't say his name as many times as he kissed. However, tasting the lips of the woman sitting in front of him was the best experience of his life. If he could, he would do it again, but it happened too soon. He did not want to base his possible romantic relationship with Bonnie on anger and pain. He wanted to start with a clean slate. They wait until another madness disappears from their heads, pronounce a divorce, and then, as a free man, are allowed to court the witch properly, taking care not to ruin their friendship because of it.

Now, however, he was afraid he had messed up everything again. He had to consider very much what he was going to tell Bonnie in response. He lifted his head from the cup and drilled his bright blue eyes into his witch’s.

"Thank you," he began softly. “That's what it meant. I wanted to thank you for whatever happens, you are always by my side. You fight for me, you won't let me fall. You are my rock Bonnie, my best friend, and the only one on this dirty planet who knows me better than my brother.” He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "I love you, Bonnie Bennett, and forgive me for what I did. I had no intention of destroying our friendship. A lot happened last night.” He shook his head, then sighed heavily. “Before I read the tales from the crypt, I left my wedding ring on the coffee table and told Elena I didn’t want to see her anymore. Truth be told, yesterday morning I decided to divorce her. Our relationship hasn’t worked for a long time, and now I know why.” He pursed his lips mockingly as he thought of the post Elena had written about Liam.” That was the right decision. After the quarrel, I went to Stefan. I was a little pissed off and I think we need to make a new board for Stefan.” Damon pursed his lips. He was a little discouraged as he saw the edge of Bonnie's lips curl up as well. “I saw the diary, started reading, and… I don't know.” He shook his head. “It felt like dying. I just sat there for minutes. It hurt a lot, Bon. I didn’t know where I could go, so I ended up here as always.” Bonnie was really smiling now. “Then the Travelers, Lilith's curse, the enchance of the doppelgangers… a little much it one day, right?” He looked at his friend questioningly, who nodded in response. "So, I just wanted to thank you for being here for me again and make sure I don't let you down either."

Bonnie leaned forward, took Damon's hand, then pressed a quick kiss to the man's face.

"Apology accepted," she told him with a wide smile. "But I'd be calmer if you could express your gratitude in a less intimate way next time."

"Shall I buy you a teddy bear?"

“Or a wellness weekend?”

Damon snorted.

“Oh, of course. Would you like a new car?!” Damon asked sarcastically.

“That would be cool. I was thinking of a small hybrid Toyota in fiery red.”

They finished breakfast, then took the table together while Bonnie came up with more than better gift ideas and Damon teased her more and more. Everything is back to the normal. They moved in complete harmony. They went into a dance that only they knew their music and never lost their pace because the choreography was engraved in their hearts.

After they were done unpacking the kitchen, Bonnie “cleared” the debris out of the way with a few wide gestures. Damon, meanwhile, went to change. When he returned from the first floor, the kitchen and living room were less like a building waiting to be renovated, but the traces of the witch's rage had not completely disappeared. Then their phones rang at the same time.

"Caroline," Damon answered the unspoken question.

Bonnie also dug up her own. Elena's face smiled at her on the display. She looked up at Damon in shock. She silently asked him what to do. The phone kept ringing.

“Pick up!” He finally said. "Don't tell him you know about the Augustine. Just play the best girlfriend!”

And Bonnie picked it up. A sniffing, tormented sound could be heard from the other end of the line. Barely a day ago, Bonnie would have rushed to her to calm her down. She would have wrapped her embracing arms around Elena’s graceful neck and assured her with reassuring words that everything would be fine. Would be. However, in a very short time, everything was on top of her head. Now, she'd rather hang up the phone and press it down on her throat and then banish her from the town forever.

***

Elena sobbed. She had spent the whole night in deep agony, and had no idea how she would get out of this horror. Crouching, she fell asleep in their marriage bed when she already felt there were no more tears left. The morning awakening was even more awful. The silence of the empty apartment tore at her as she got out of his bed. Again and again she remembered the words of her husband, which he had cut to her head; the sentence: _‘I haven’t been in love with you for a long time.’_

The truth almost hit her in the head: her marriage was based on a lie. If she wanted to be honest with herself, their whole relationship was a set of bullshit uncertainty from the beginning. Elena was kept alive by Damon's love for a long time. She couldn't imagine what she would do without the older Salvatore. The vampire helped her to find the beauty in death, and the promise of eternal love was a miracle for which she would have given everything.

But it was a lie because love doesn’t last forever. Not an infinite fluff and bubbles, pink dream with rainbows and unicorns. A marriage is a hard job, you have to work for it. Elena made her own compromises: they don’t talk about the past because it’s painful. Discovering each other’s human half was the main goal. So the woman was deeply silent about how much she missed her first true love, while Damon never told her about what had happened during those fleeting three years while Elena was in a coma. In fact, her husband didn’t even tell her about his past. During their seven-year marriage, Elena hadn’t come any closer to getting to know Damon Salvatore’s full reality, and that’s been fine so far. Because what a person doesn't know it doesn't hurt. Elena dreaded the day the shadows of the man's past would suddenly knock on the door. Because there was something Damon never deserved, namely Elena’s trust; unconditional faith in the other.

That’s why she was so surprised by the behavior of the Scooby gang, especially Caroline’s and Bonnie’s. Her two best girlfriends treated her husband, a former psychopathic serial killer, with love from sincere faith. There had to be something in the background that no one was talking about that was too big or too painful to be told. She didn't know, she didn't understand, so she didn't trust anyone in the end.

For the last seven years, she had to realize that Damon’s world, is not her world. In vain did the man prove that she was the part of the family that the Scooby gang meant, she didn’t feel it. She remained Gilbert. She is a descendant of a dynasty of long-running vampire hunters who, year after year, have become more uncomfortable playing with how cordially she supports them. She wanted nothing more than Damon, she and Stephanie to live a normal life away from Mystic Falls. She couldn’t even count on her two hands how many times she got her husband lied about school actions. It always turned out in retrospect how much danger Damon had exposed themselves to, as if nothing had changed by becoming human.

_Oh, but something_ had changed, she thought bitterly, still crouching on the bed. Damon doesn't like her anymore. _Because he loves somebody else_ , the thought slipped through her mind. During yesterday's quarrel, they had just mentioned Bonnie, but Elena became aware of the growing suspicion that the witch had a lot to do with her divorce.

Divorce. The word that was uttered that sounded so definitive. Elena's stomach clenched painfully and she had to run out into the toilet. She vomited again. Leaning over the shell, she could only poke up a yellowish, white foam. When she was done, she went to the bathroom, then squirted some cold water into her face. When she looked in the mirror, then she almost scared of what she saw in it. Her face sank, dark circles stretched under her eyes, the skin swollen around them, and in the whites of her eyes the blood vessels drew a red map. This time she washed herself with plenty of water, but the view didn’t get much better.

She walked back to the bedroom a little dazedly, where everything reminded her of her husband. The bed still smelled of the man, on the wall above them hung their wedding picture in a white frame on which they happily laughed into the camera. The last book he read (Stephen King: Shining) was still lying there on the nightstand. Elena lay on the bed by Damon's side. She inhaled deeply the smell of the bedding, and beautiful memories suddenly burst into her mind. What beautiful moments the two of them had! The dream couple: Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore. Then enough of a badly chosen sentence and everything fell apart.

The hope, the deception, the blind, the celestial phenomenon that the unhappy man creates for himself to be able to cling to, has now awakened in Elena. Maybe there’s still a chance to get things right. Some faint chance because she can’t lose everything. Only one person came to her mind who could help her in trouble. Her best friend, the unparalleled, the helpful (the sacrificial), Bonnie Bennett.

She quickly got out of bed, then ended up in the living room looking for his phone, and finally found the device in the kitchen. The phone indicated two missed calls. One came from Liam, the other from Mrs. Greasley who was the contact from the Triad Company. They may have been important, but she ignored the messages for now. She dialed Bonnie. The witch picked it up only for the fifth ring, and Elena was avoided crying again.

"It's over, Bonnie," she sniffed. “She wants a divorce! I… I… I don’t know. Please help!

Mrs. Salvatore couldn’t see that Bonnie Bennett standing next to the curious Damon Salvatore, who was trying to eavesdrop on the phone conversation. Nor could she observe that the Bennett witch chewing nervously on the edge of her mouth, wondering what answer she could give to her literally ex-friend, not to reveal how much she hated her at the moment. She forced a smile on herself as Damon held his ear to the device to hear better what Elena was saying.

“Calm down, honey!” Bonnie narrowed her eyes and tried hard to come up with something really helpful. “Don't panic! You've had a big quarrel before. I'll talk to him.”

Damon yawned that _'there is no way.'_ The witch softly pissed at her best friend. The man’s presence didn’t really help her play the understanding friend.

“It was final now. I saw it in his eyes, Bonnie.”

Elena's voice thinned. It sounded like that of a cramped dog who was beaten that day for peeing on a hundred-dollar rug again.

“Tell me what happened! Maybe I can help.”

Bonnie finally found the right voice. Warm, friendly, compassionate. Damon meanwhile playfully fluttered his lashes, for which the witch almost burst out laughing, but rather waved only at the man's chest.

Elena began to say in a crying voice.

“We also had a fight yesterday morning.” Bonnie listened patiently. "You know very well that I want to be away from this madness that Mystic Falls and with it the Salvatore School mean." _‘The same disc always spins, as if the player was stuck,’_ the witch thought wearily. “But Damon… Sometimes I feel like he loves the Scooby band more than his own family.” Bonnie rolled her eyes while Damon nodded in agreement. Ultimately, Elena's words had some truth. “And we have rumpus a little bit.” Elena laughed hysterically. "He said I didn't even know what the sacrifice was. How could he say that ?!”

Oh, _‘Holy Martyrdom’ of Elena Gilbert_. Bonnie noted bitterly how right Damon was. They have all lost loved ones, not just the weakest doppelganger.

"After everyone is gone," Elena continued, "came the black soup. Oh, Bonnie! He said he didn't love me. That he hasn't been in love with me for a long time. That he married with me just because I got pregnant and didn’t want to let me down.”

We had to throw a coin into the handsets of the old phone booths if we wanted to call someone. After the conversation ended, the coin fell into a wallet with a big rattle. Bonnie could almost hear that the 25-cent with metallic dong fall into it’s place. She exchanged a significant look with Damon, who looked back at her with a very serious face. So that was the truth. In the end, everything fell into place. Which is a big deal. Huge trouble. A HUGE PROBLEM, so full of capital letters. If what Elena said was true, then Damon was no longer in love with Elena when she woke her up. If Damon wasn’t in love with Elena, then all she had done so far was just pointless self-sacrifice on her part, because that means Damon loved someone else. No! No! No! The voice roared in the witch's head. All the while, she was just looking at Damon and could read everything out of those blue eyes. Why did he do that?

“Why?” Bonnie whispered, but not to Elena.

“Bon.” Her name barely seemed like a sigh from the man's mouth.

They just stared at each other as if they were in a trance. Words that had not been spoken for years wanted to surface. Everything that had happened between them since they met at that particular Halloween party where the older Salvatore wanted to steal Emily’s necklace from her. The witch would have preferred to pull on rabbit shoes now and rush out the door. It was too much for her at once. In just twenty-four hours, her life turned upside down again, and the reason for that was again Damon Salvatore.

“Bonnie, is anyone with you?”

Elena's voice finally tore her out of the trance. She quickly turned her gaze away from her friend, cleared her throat, then, overcoming the urge to slam the phone on the woman, responded quickly.

"Don't get mad at me, Elena, but I have to hang up now!" She interrupted the line without waiting for an answer.

When he looked at Damon again, the man stood frozen, barely moving, just looking the witch with an expressionless, thoughtful face. Bonnie stood in front of him with folded arms and watched Damon furrowing her brows. 

“Are we friends?” She asked sharply.

The man smiled faintly. The last time she asked him this, Damon couldn't explain to her how he felt about her, and he wasn't prepared for it now either.

“Yes, we are best friends Bonnie Bennett.”

“Then stay that way!” Bonnie spread her arms nervously. "Because if we're not friends, I don't know what we are! If it's something else…” The witch ran nervously into her hair while Damon watched her intently. “I don't know, Damon!”

“Bonnie, please!” The man's voice was soft, like the silk on skin, but now Bonnie wasn’t affected.

“I'm going to change now. See you at the school.”

She wanted to slip past her friend, but Damon grabbed her arm and held her back.

„Are you mad at me?” He asked sharply.  
“Yes! No! I do not know!” Bonnie looked back at him begging. “Let me go, Damon! We need to take care of more important things now!”

The man nodded, then gently let go of the grip. As the witch walked upstairs, Damon called after her.

“Hey, Judgey!” He hasn't used that nickname in a thousand years because Bonnie hasn't judged him in a long time. “Are we okey?”

Bonnie looked at the man's seemingly desperate face. She saw how important it was for him to be 'okay'. She eased a little, but she still needs to clarify this for herself first.

"We'll be fine, Old Man," Bonnie finally smiled.

As she walked upstairs toward her closet, she wondered if she would have to figure out what to do with Damon sooner or later. She remembered the first night in the Lux again. The image that was etched in her brain was the feeling she couldn’t erase, no matter how she tried. Their kiss last night suddenly made sense, as did all the man’s actions so far. Standing between her clothes, memories flooded her.

Both have lived in deep denial so far. It was only a matter of time before their emotions to each other surfaced. Last night, the string of both of them tightened to a pimple, so that kiss snapped between them. It wasn’t just for Damon that the long-term reunion was dangerous. Bonnie found it just as difficult to control her actions. Countless times, she thought of simply throw the man against a wall and kissing the breath out of him, until he completely forgets Elena, and the only name he will remember at all is Bonnie Bennett. They’ve been dancing on thin ice ever since they came back from the prison world, especially after the Gilbert girl fell out of traffic. And all because they didn't want to hurt Elena. She almost shouted as she remembered Elena's diary. Instead, she took a deep growl.

Life had never treated Bonnie with a gloved hand, but nonetheless, she would not let her be immersed in the darkness. She was willing to sacrifice anything for his friends, especially the Gilbers. It's over today. She didn't know yet what fate had for them with Damon, but she was sure that Elena wouldn't be a factor in that anymore.

***

When Bonnie hung up, Elena was no longer crying. She slowly lowered the device from her ear, then stared at herself for minutes. Damon is with Bonnie. She suspected the man had spent the whole night there. Again. It didn’t take her long to put the picture together. Bonnie insidiously flattered herself into Damon's heart and kidnapped her husband from her. Her best friend betrayed her. Maybe they have a secret relationship behind her back. About the affair she immediately remembered what she had done. Guilt was suddenly stifled. This is different. Elena was not in love with Liam. They only had an innocent work affair, but there is much more between Damon and Bonnie.

She looked down at her phone with a grim look. She stroked the display, then tapped on Listen to Voice Messages. He listened to Liam’s first.

_‘Hi, Elena! Don’t be mad at me bothering you so late, but that can’t wait. The boss wants an immediate result. Either you bring Steph in or they go for your husband!’_

She wasn't particularly surprised by this move. For a long time, the Triad company has been whining about examining her daughter or experimenting with Damon’s blood. So far, Elena didn’t want to involve them deeply in the experiment, but this time she thought about to entrust her husband to the “hospitality” of the Augustine Society again.

She also listened to the second message.

_‘Dr. Salvatore. Congratulations to your daughter. I am not convinced to stress how important it would be for you to make your decision tonight. Either your daughter or the blood of your husband.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huh, i dont know what can i say:) Do you like it? I am not sure this was good, but i feel this was correct. I wanted to write some details about Bonnie's and Damon's relationship. And about the Travelers when i heard that Katherine came from Bulgaria just pop up in my head what if... And doing follow the thought. So i hope you liked it. And what if Damon can speak other languages sooo... An author write about she knows:) 
> 
> If you intrested in what happened in my country when Ivan born im totally open to answer questions:D 
> 
> In the next chapter everybody will get to know what Elena did and... the things will go upside down again. :D Have nice day guys:D


	12. Lilith’s curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, my God! Finally. That was the last chapter which is wrote in hungarian. After that you have to wait a little bit more, cause i need to end the chapters in hungarian first. So, this is not a completed storyt yet. But it will. 
> 
> Thank you so much for your comments and Kudos. My heart is warm. Keep doing. It takes me going. 
> 
> Huh and about the chapter: So many details will be in this chapter about the curse, the doppelgangers, Elena. And in the beginning of the chapter Damon is in a huge trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I will also put enimitie between thee and the woman, and between thy seede and your seede. He shell break thine head, and thou shalt bruise his heel .
> 
> /Genesis 3: 15/

Chapter 11

**Lilith’s curse**

Damon was bleeding. He lay in his own pool of blood right in the middle of his living room. His ears were still roaring from the sharp, deafening sound of the recently fired pistol. The pain caused by the bullet almost drove him crazy. He was shot in the abdomen, just as he was 160 years ago. He knew he couldn't faint because then it was all over. He felt a metallic, nauseatingly sweet taste in his mouth, and his own reddish blood burst out of him. He had to cough, but with each move, the agony of torment was unleashed on him. The situation could be worse than he thought.

He's still alive. He couldn’t sleep, though he felt lead weights on his eyelids. He tried to stand up, but his body disobeyed. It was flooded with heat, a glowing, corrosive pain whose epicenter was bullet-induced injury.

He was still alive. That's all that mattered. Somehow, he has to stay awake, he can’t allow himself to surrender to the pain. He blinked quickly. he needs to gather his thoughts! He has to concentrate! But it didn't work.

He was still alive. He felt his body heavier. His brain could not bear more pain. His eyes slowly closed. His last thought before he lost consciousness was that he would never be able to tell Bonnie how much he really loved her. He was still alive, but he knew it wasn't long.

***

_10 hours earlier_

At the end of Old Miller Road, which can be said to be relatively straight out of the city, stood the huge building complex of the Salvatore Boarding School, which was able to comfortably accommodate more than five hundred students and palletize their minds. The expanse of the estate reached Lake Willow Creek, included part of the forest surrounding it, and included the cemetery where the Salvatore crypt stood, as well as the catacombs of the old church where Katherine was also imprisoned for a short time. 

Damon's dark gray Tesla ate the miles on the way to school in automatic mode. He gave a voice command to his phone, which immediately dialed the Blondie. Without waiting for a ‘say hello’, Caroline's nervously sharp voice filled the entire car.

“Damon Salvatore! I've been trying to reach you for over half an hour. How dare you push me on the phone?! And if something big had happened?! You can't be so irresponsible!”

His sister-in-law pounded her complaint with almost no breath, while the older Salvatore just rolled her eyes. He tried to intervene, but Mrs. Salvatore seemed to be a little overwhelmed, so he had to stop with something that would shock the woman enough to finally catch her. He had already found it, as he could dismantle the slightly overheated Caroline. That was what his brain was going to do before he fell asleep, that was his first thought when he got up, and that came to mind no matter how many times his gaze slipped into Bonnie's mouth.

"I kissed her," he declared simply.

The expected effect was not missed. The word got stuck in Caroline.

“What?” She asked in confusion.

"I kissed Bonnie," he repeated.

“Excuse me!?”

"I say I kissed Bonnie Bennett, who is my formal best friend!" Damon's voice sounded nervous. _What is not to be understood by this?_

He could almost hear the air trapped inside the Blondie and then sigh a little as if she wanted to say something, but she didn't know how to get started. Finally, it came out:

„Okey!”

„Okey?” Damon's eyebrows ran to his forehead. "Is it nothing that you could have been so reckless? Or, why did you do it? Maybe how could I do that to Elena? You know, just the usual.”

“Look! It's been in the air for a while! I told you you can’t play a mortally in love husband and a ‘gay’ friend at the same time forever.”

Damon didn't expect that answer, even if Caroline knew… things about him. Mainly that not so long ago he had just categorically declared to the Blondie that he did not want to have any romantic relationship with the witch. And until yesterday, he was sacredly convinced that he was perfectly able to hide his true feelings. Everything that had happened between Bonnie and him so far (except the kiss) seemed natural. Sure, it happened that the mood between them got hot at times, especially during their joint workouts, but they didn’t really attach importance to that. It fits between friends, doesn't it?

It’s another matter that Damon sometimes wanted to leave the whole town behind, dust off the Camaro, grab Stephanie, and run away with Bonnie to far away. He often felt like he was torn in two. He wished he could have two lives. In one, he would be free to live a full life with the witch, while in the other, he could enjoy a happy, average family idyll with Elena.

“Oh, Care bear!” He sighed. “I may have ruined everything with that.”  
"Well, I don't think so," Caroline said with sincere doubt. “What exactly happened?”

A confident, mischievous smile appeared on Damon's face.

"She kissed me back," he said contentedly. “Oh, God how it was good!”

He remembered again the overwhelming passion that the kiss had awakened in him. He felt Bonnie's soft lips, the fire that covered his whole body on fire. It was like he was still a vampire.

“And then?” Caroline's urgent voice yanked his back into the present.

He shrugged. He tried to pretend there wasn't a big deal what had happened.

“We discussed it was an accident. I was under myself, we drank a lot, and such.”

“Oh my God! Accident?! How can you accidentally kiss someone? Did you fall on her mouth?

“Something like that…”

If the witch chooses a more comfortable position to rebuke and Damon didn’t want to kiss her, his mouth won’t slip aside and nothing will probably happen. So, it was an accident. (Damon logic, it always works.)

“Wait!” Caroline got stuck. “Where and when did it happen? What about Elena? What the hell happened to you yesterday?”

Damon already knew his sister-in-law well. She would have pounded a thousand questions at once if he hadn’t stopped. Damon sighed heavily. It’s like at least a hundred years have passed since yesterday.

\- Okay, Blondie! Long story short. I divorced last night or something like that. I went to Stefan, read Elena's diary, got upset, and then went to Bonnie, she was pissed, too. I kissed her, we talked about in the morning, I guess. Then Elena called, told her something, and I think she’s mad at me now. 

“Who? Elena?” 

"No," Damon rolled his eyes. “Bonnie.” 

“Wait! Caroline's voice was confused. “I got stuck.” 

“Where?” 

“There you got divorced.”

Damon let out a tired sigh. He blew out a long breath and tried to be patient with his sister-in-law. He still had to work on that. Patience was not one of Damon Salvatore's virtues.

“Pfuuh!” He blew out the air. "I think it was time to put an end to our case."

"I agree," his sister-in-law replied knowingly.

"Now it’s come you told me that."

"No," the Blondie said in a pale voice, but then she chuckled. “But yes! I told you so! I was right! Huh, it's good to say that so much!”

Damon's mouth twitched into a faint smile. He had never dreamed that one day Caroline Forbes would be his the most confidant after Bonnie. But when the older Salvatore got to the bottom of the pit of darkness, the woman was standing next to him in the same way as the witch, even though she once told him to call Damon the Satan, is an insult to Satan.

"And why were you so upset with Bonnie?" She continued to ask.

Damon glanced at the passenger's seat, where Dr. Salvatore's pale blue leatherette diary lay. He had no intention of discussing the disgusting things inherent on the phone, nor did he even want to read it again.

"I'll be at the school soon and I'll tell you everything," he replied in a serious voice. “Did Rick call the band together?”

“Yes.” It sounded like Caroline was hesitant. “There's something else. It would be about Steph.”

Damon's muscles tensed. From his sister-in-law's voice, it could be inferred that something was wrong with his daughter. The defender's instinct started immediately. He switched his body to jump-ready mode.

“Talk, Blondie!” He instructed Caroline.

“She was dreaming. This time with Stefan.” Caroline sighed deeply. "I don't know what might have happened, but she showed me the dream. Oh, Damon! I'm afraid something really bad is coming.”

The man remembered what Bonnie had told him about the whole Traveler story. Starting with the fact that Lucifer Morningstar is the devil, and he has a lot to do with the creation of the doppelgangers. When he already thought he shouldn't be more surprised, it turned out that he was also a doppelganger. He could only laugh out loud at this until Bonnie stopped him. It sounded so ridiculous that he still couldn't believe this madness. But this is Mystic Falls, the city of “nothing is impossible”. It so happened that four doppelgangers were at the Salvatore mansion at the same time. One more or less, it didn't matter anymore. Still, from the thought that there was another one out of him, it made him shiver. The question arose as to whether Quetsiyah recognized him. When he faced the vengeful witch face to face, did she know who he was? Maybe that's why she helped him? Yes, history keeps repeating itself, especially for the Salvatore brothers. He remembered Elena again and slapped the steering wheel hard in anger.

“Ten minutes and I'm there!” He finally said.

"All right," Caroline acknowledged.

Damon disconnected the line and then turned off automatic mode. Tesla lagged far behind the Camaro in acceleration, being an automatic transmission. Now he really missed the azure sports car. He wanted to feel the speed as soon as he could be where he had to be: next to his daughter.

***

Alaric's office was created as a result of the transformation of the inn. It was neat, bright and tidy. A two-leaf door opened in the long hallway downstairs to the left of the entrance that led to the headmaster. On the opposite wall of the room was a long, tall window through which light flowed freely. In front of it stood a light brown desk with two armchairs in front of it so that visitors could sit comfortably. To the left of the door stood a comfortable sofa covered with purple upholstery, while the opposite wall was occupied by a long shelving system filled with a pile of books. The room was full of all sorts of widgets scattered here and there. One of the results of Caroline’s unsuccessful attempts to “decorate the office with plants,” a parched runner, one of the filing cabinets stumbled on top. Caroline, after putting down the phone, grumbled at it and a strange smile played around her lips.

Alaric looked at the blonde vampire thoughtfully. Damon's message arrived early enough. It did not contain any relevant information.

“Call everyone together! Important!!!"

That’s all he saw on the display after the message sound jumped him out of bed. He hated this, but he could have gotten used to it. Damon lived in a different time zone. He got up early, lay late, barely slept, and he didn’t care about sleep needs of others. His short-word messages were not unknown to Doc Saltzman either, and by now the decoding hadn't caused him a big headache. He had known the man for about fifteen years, and a good few have been miserable ever since. They got used to it, as did everyone else in the band. “Call everyone together” meant that both Matt and Jeremy had to be present at the meeting in some form.

Alaric was still staring at Caroline. He wondered where his children's mother's brain was going. At last the blonde looked at him.

"They've taken the first step," Care said with a mischievous grin.

Alaric frowned.

“What and who? Put it a little more precisely!”

The smile on Caroline's face widened.

“Damon and Bonnie kissed each other.”

Rick sighed heavily and folded his chin over his chest. Caroline and he have known for a long time what the situation is between the witch and the ex-vampire. They've talked about this more than once. That’s why Caroline let him in to her ‘devilish’ plan. She launched a long-term plan called ‘How to get Bonnie and Damon together’ with a lot of headaches for Rick.

There were many pitfalls to the plan, but there wasn’t that much to work on. Rick was tasked with softening Damon while Caroline getting Bonnie. Alaric would have liked to change. He would have spared himself a lot of hangover headaches if he had had a better drink with Bonnie at the Grill in the evenings. Damon's alcohol tolerance wasn't the same, but his liver did well. Could drinks have been stronger in the 19th century? They must not have measured such ullage as they do today.

Rick just shook his head now.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Caroline frowned at him.

"Still, how long do you want to see your friend break up in his room at least once a month ?!"

"Care," Rick began in a reassuring voice, "that's none of our business. We should leave them!

"Well, whatever you told Damon last time, it worked" Caroline winked.

Alaric raised an eyebrow in surprise and stood up on the chair.

“What happened?”

“Damon will divorce…, or they have already divorced. I do not know. But he will be here soon and says he will tell you everything.”

Caroline looked very excited while Alaric thought deeper. They were there for a week with Damon to have a drink. When Rick saw that his friend was already in a pretty “good” condition, he came up cautiously with the topic of marriage. Ever since Bonnie left, Damon and Elena's marriage have approached the abyss rapidly. Everyone in the gang watched intently when the older Salvatore would ask a witch to put a locator spell on Bonnie, then immediately throwing himself after her. Luckily, that didn’t happen, but Rick suspected he hadn’t been able to hide his extreme concern from his wife.

Therefore, he gently asked what it was like to be married after six years, and he didn’t get the answer what he had expected.

"Shit," Damon replied then. He felt in his voice that he was very drunk. "I, the infamous Damon Salvatore am a slipper." He waved his glass wide as he spoke. As always, he was quite theatrical. “Not even that. Only the pom-pom on the nose of the slipper. Look Rick what she did to me!”

Alaric laughed compulsively, but watched intently. Caroline will kill him if he doesn't take anything more out of the ex-vampire.

"It's not so bad," he patted his friend on the shoulder. “Yours is the most popular nightclub in Mystic Falls, many people around you love and respect you, and the school works. You have a beautiful daughter.”

While Alaric tried to pour a soul into him, Damon looked at him doubtfully over his glass.

“I got the girl, is it true?”

Rick nodded.

"Then I'm going to tell you a huge secret, Rick," Damon whispered. "I don't want that girl anymore, and I don't think she wants me either. I don't know if I ever wanted to.

Well, that was downright surprising, and it was very new information for Alaric. Damon moved between the stages of total drunkenness and the ‘I still can talk’.

“Come on, Damon!” Rick smiled broadly as he pulled down a pile too. “You're just angry and drunk now. The two together are not a good combination.”

Damon began to wobble with his hand. There was some problem with his movement coordination because he almost fell off the bar stool.

“No no no!” He put his hand on his friend's shoulder. ”Listen! Elena looks the same as…, ”he sighed,“ You Know Who. I was madly in love with You Know Who. There were reasons for this, too. Puttana, ”Damon spat out the Italian insult. "Elena was like Voldemort, only in better packaging." When I looked at her, I saw the Katherine I had always wanted, the one I had imagined at the time. Wait!” The older Salvatore belched a good deal. “Waow, this stuff is delicious in back too.

Alaric grimaced, but then the serious, searching expression returned to his face.

"And," Damon continued. - when she chose me Rick, I was so happy. It was like I grabbed the god's foot. I thought something good was finally happening to me. I'm a fool.” Damon elbowed back at the bar and pulled one of his drinks again. “Everything I ever wanted out of life was there in front of my nose, and I didn’t even notice. If I had as many pennies as I wanted to go back in time and nullify that evening, half of the USA would be mine.”

“Which evening?”

Damon smiled compulsively.

“When I first met with Elena. If I didn’t meet with her then, but with someone else or no one, maybe things would turn out quite differently.”

”I believe that. Much worse. 

“What?” Damon shook his head. “No! Elena reminded me of Katherine. If I didn't meet her then, I would leave Mystic Falls. Maybe I won't come back. I do not know.” 

"It's a shame to chew on it," Alaric shook his head. “We are grateful to you for staying. Never forget that!" ‘And now the moment has come,’ Alaric thought. Caroline will be proud of him. 

"If you don't stay here, there's no Scooby gang, and Bonnie probably won't be among us."

And Alaric saw it. He saw the smile that appeared on his friend's face, the gleam in his eyes as he thought of the witch. That told him more than a thousand words. Damon was in love, but not in any way. This is how it is felt by those who truly and deeply love the other.

"She and Stephanie are the best thing in my life" Damon growled under his breath.

Alaric couldn't say much after that. He didn't really want to ask any more questions, because the chair began to sway dangerously under Damon, and the older Salvatore with his 85 pounds wasn't exactly feathery, so he'd better have his friend go home on his own two feet. Of course, Caroline questioned him as soon as he went home. Alaric couldn't explain exactly what had happened, but now he thought that conversation could have really pushed another one on the train running without brakes.

He was raped from his thoughts by the rang of Caroline’s phone.

“Hello!”

“It's me, Bonnie!”

“Oh, hi!”

It was absolutely inconspicuous that there was something in the background.

“What's up?” Caroline asked. She tried to hide her excitement.

"He kissed me," Bonnie sighed.

Caroline seemed to jump out of her skin. Alaric looked at her as if he didn't consider the deputy director quite normal.

“Who?” Caroline did her curiosity, but she was able to act great.

"Damon," came the slightly irritated reply.

“Aaaaand?”

“What and?” Bonnie was amazed. “Nothing, just a kiss.”

“Yep!”

“What is that yep? Isn't it weird that your best friend just kisses you one day?”

“If it's Damon, it's not.”

“But…”

Caroline cut her off immediately.

“Nothing but, Bonnie. Are you very close to each other, and maybe you may have felt more about each other than friendship?”

“That's ridiculous Care.” Bonnie's voice was defensive. “I don't feel about Damon like that way. We are just good friends and…”

“Bonnie, I'm a vampire. A living lie detector. You're apologizing now.”

“No Care. Don't see anything in it!”

"All right, if you want to live your life in denial!"

“I don't live in denial!” It sounded exactly like denying the obvious.

“And yet, what happened?” Caroline's voice sounded excited.

"I don't know. It just happened once. He kissed me, and then I felt it baang!

“Bang?” Well, Caroline knew exactly what a kiss with Damon was like. And it's really like a bang.

“Yes. But the worst part is I kissed back.”

“Already, why would that be a bad thing?” The blonde laughed.

"Except that Damon Salvatore is the living statue of 'I'm in love with Elena Gilbert,' he's my best friend. What if we ruined everything with that?”

They were just silent for a while, then finally Caroline spoke.

"Now you feel like you can't be his friend anymore, but that's not true. Believe me, now you can, you think your friendship is over, and you ruined that, but if you discuss it and you were able to get over it, everything will be fine!

“We talked. Mostly.” Bonnie was unsure. "But then Elena said something I can't put it anywhere." 

“What did that… say?” the blonde growled. 

"That Damon hasn't been in love with her in a long time, and he only took her because she got pregnant. And it became so… weird. 

"But we all knew that," Caroline said, as if it were a fact from what everybody knew about. 

There was a silence again.

"Yes, you may be right," Bonnie finally agreed. “I just… I don't know, Caroline. I don’t want everything to be complicated between us. I just wish everything was the same as it was before I left. That was so normal. But now, as if everything was on top of head again.  
“Everyone will be here soon. Calm down, Bonnie! We're going to a real girl night. If you want, we'll call Elena too and we'll kick out the…”

Bonnie cut Caroline in a cold voice

“No! Elena can't come near me anymore, and if it's up to me, I won't let Damon near her.

“What happened?”

“ll’l tell you when I get there.”

“All right.” This time, Caroline wasn't curious."

She disconnected the line and slowly lowered the device. He looked at Alaric with a serious, shocked face.

“What's wrong?” He asked.

Caroline shook her head.

"I have a feeling we won't really like what we're going to hear today."

***

Stephanie played with some younger witches in the foreground. With a delighted smile on her face, she watched as the others floated the magic snow globe in front of her. Lizzy and Josie joined them. They were sitting in front of the fireplace when Steph sensed her dad's presence. She raised her head, grinned wide, then raced like a gust of wind to Damon, who immediately got on his lap and flooded the little girl's face with large, cupping kisses.

“Hello my princess! How did you sleep?”

Stephanie discovered concern in her dad. With her intelligent green eyes, she looked sadly into the blue irises and shook her head in denial with pursed lips.

“What happened, honey?”

Damon stroked her daughter's face with gentle movements, then Stephanie hugged him tightly.

"I saw Uncle Stefan," she sniffed. "Something is going to happen to him, Dad. I'm so scared.

“What did you see, baby?”

Steph slowly unfolded from the embrace, but still remained in her father's lap. They walked slowly toward the library. Meanwhile, the little girl began to tell in her thin, fairy voice. Stuttering in some places because he couldn’t always use the right term.

"At first it was sooo light." She tried to remember, so she closed her little eyes. "Then I saw Uncle Stefan in the old place." 

“In what old place?” Damon asked.

In the meantime, they reached the library and took a seat on one of the comfortable double sofas. They were surrounded by books around the walls, all the way to the ceiling. In front of the shelves, in different display cases, there were ancient, special objects. In a smaller one, a strikingly sized ring of blue stone surrounded by silver was exhibited. In the middle of the blue stone, a simple letter “D” gleamed with silver, framed by a tiny wing-like decoration. It was one of Salvatore's daylight rings. The faint sunlight on the windows lit up this little showcase.

“Here. Just in the old place,” Steph replied, her gaze distracted in the direction of her father’s former, vital jewel.

“And what else did you see?”

Damon now guessed what his daughter was thinking. She could see Stefan in the old Salvatore boarding house before it was made into American Hogwarts.

“He was happy. He smiled.” Steph was suddenly saddened. "But then he suddenly disappeared. Everything is gone. Grams is gone, too.” The little girl's mouth sagged and tears welled up in her eyes.

"Shhh… shhh…," her dad is trying to calm her.

He gently pulled his daughter's head to his chest, then began stroking the blond, wavy curls with slow movements. He pressed a delicate kiss to the top of her head as he murmured reassuring words to her.

"I saw it," she sniffed. “I saw the monster, too. It was just blood and fangs and dark.”

Damon froze for a moment. He was sure Stephanie had seen a vampire in her dream, a very bad vampire.

"It's okay, sweetheart," He reassured Steph, though now it was more to himself. "You know Dad will protect you from the monster."

He kept his girl like this for a while as a loosely, smiling a beautiful Bonnie Bennett walked into the library as if nothing would had happened. Damon immediately cast a mischievous smile on him. It was an involuntary reaction, kind of reflexive. Stephanie did the same. The witch returned the greetings from both of them, then walked over to the little girl and carefully took her in her arms.

Steph hugged her too, then peeed a little, then the youngest Salvatore whispered something in Bonnie's ear. From that, the witch's eyes widened. They immediately contacted each other's minds.

Then Bonnie saw what Stephanie was dreaming of. There were only fleeting pictures in which Stefan was sitting in a leather armchair in front of the fireplace in the old inn one moment, writing in his diary, and then, after a sudden change, the whole picture disappeared. For a moment, a portrait of Sheila Bennett appeared as she cried out for someone. Finally, darkness, an all-absorbing, throat-clogging, suffocating darkness. Then suddenly she saw the fangs of a vampire dripping with blood in front of her, and the vision was interrupted.

Bonnie looked at Damon. They exchanged significant glances. They were both aware that the problem was great. They must act immediately!

***

In less than half an hour, they were already sitting in a secluded location in the library, which was reserved for the Scooby gang. They were grouped around a circular low table. Over the years, everyone has a place. Caroline and Alaric were seated in a comfortable, soft, red upholstered armchair, Dorian usually opted for a rustic black leather armchair with a high back. Here, too, stood a double sofa bed covered in dark brown suede. Damon was usually spread out, and Bonnie was right next to him. That's how the band stands up now. Everyone was deep in their thought until Matt Donovan arrived. He brought a chair with him. He greeted everyone with a nod and then sat down between Alaric and Dorian too.

While everyone settled in, Damon and Bonnie had their own quiet little discussion, which of course didn't escape Caroline's attention. While she pretended to focus all her attention on Matt, she pointed her ears sharply at the muffled conversation in the background.

“Is everything okay, Bob-Bon?” Damon asked, a little scared.

"Yes," the witch replied simply.

"Then you don't want to hit me, shout my head off, or roast me anymore?" Damon raised an eyebrow questioningly.

She turned to Bonnie and pulled her mouth to a mocking smile.

"No," she shook her head. “It's okay, Old Man. Except for Elena, the Travelers, and Steph.”

Damon understood and smiled mischievously back at Bonnie.

“It's OK then. I’m already scared to have to look for a new best friend,” he growled jokingly.

Bonnie playfully poked him with her elbow.

“You won't get rid of so easily.”

“Who said I wanted to get rid of it?” Damon whispered in the witch's ear.

Bonnie felt the man's warm breath on her skin, and her whole body trembled. She tried to pretend nothing had happened, but she had a hard time. When she looked up at Damon, the other winked, and Bonnie dared to swear he smiled seductively at her. It was another Damon now. The flirtatious Damon, the sexy Damon, who was very difficult for the witch to handle, especially now.

Bonnie shook her head disapprovingly, signaling that she didn't really have the mood to tease now. Damon raised both hands defensively in front of him.

“Okay okay. I'll stop. I know we have an important business. And if we're already here…”

The elder Salvatore stood up, walked closer to the table, and cut off Elena's diary. The book landed on the table with a loud thud, to which everyone shuddered.

“Here are Mrs. Frankenstein's notes!” Damon said sarcastically. "Strictly just my ex-wife's secret life."

Members of the company, except Bonnie, looked at the man in complete shock. Damon looked around in amazed faces. Apparently, everyone was shocked by his announcement just now, and it made him a little angry, although their reaction was understandable. Matt spoke first.

"What is it that your strictly ex-wife?"

Matt was totally scalded by Damon's words. He lived in the belief that Damon Salvatore’s only true love was her first true love, Elena. Although, he also noticed that their marriage hadn’t been exactly perfect lately, he didn’t even dream about Damon would ever divorce Elena.

Damon felt he owed an explanation. He took a deep breath and started.

“To spare myself from other unpleasant questions and astonished looks, I would like to announce that I will call a divorce lawyer this afternoon and officially be a single.”

He took a break, waiting for the others to cool off. Caroline just smiled under her mustache, Alarick nodded gravely, Dorian hummed, while Donovan just yawned like a fish. Bonnie looked at him sadly. The loss for them was necessary, but it will not be any less painful.

“What happened? How?” Matt asked puzzled.  
"It's a long story, Donovan, and I have no intention of discussing my marriage, which hasn't worked for years," he looked around here, "to everyone."

The sheriff pretended to understand what it was all about. He nodded boobly, for what Caroline chirped angrily.

"Don't pretend you don't know what's been going on between them for months! Everyone saw what Elena was doing. Or at least the result,” the blonde pointed at Damon.

This time, Matt was also reached by waves of recognition, and finally nodded understandingly, which Damon acknowledged with a nod.

“Now that we’ve discussed my tragic love life, we can turn to something much more important. Here,” he pointed to the diary, “Dr. Elena Gilbert ‘no more’ Salvatore’s diary.” He picked it up and handed it to Ric. “Read and cry! I did. We can then discuss how to free our students wherever they are being held.”

Rick looked at Damon in amazement, but he was already flipping through the book. Elder Salvatore sat back next to Bonnie. He leaned back on the couch, dropping the witch's legs on his lap as she leaned against the armrest. Caroline and Dorian whispered helplessly. They had no idea what Elena's diary had to do with anything and why the whole band had to be convened. Then the blonde jumped up, slipped out of the library, and returned two seconds later with a laptop in her hand.

"Sorry," she apologized in a kind of girlish way.

Damon shook his head and grimaced when he noticed that his beloved sister-in-law was already glowing the device.

"I almost missed Jeremy," Care sighed.

She quickly opened the Meet app so that wherever the young hunter walks, he can easily talk to them. It took a whole minute for Jeremy's voice to finally be heard.

“Hi guys!” Said the Gilbert boy.

“Hey, Little Gilbert! It's good to finally hear your voice!” Damon greeted. “You're not in trouble, are you?”

"No," Jer smiled.

Over the course of seven years, Damon and Jeremy became great buddies. They didn’t meet much because the hunter traveled the world to look for potential candidates for the school. He was a key figure in the Scooby band. Jeremy Gilbert was the first “recruiter” to get through if someone wanted to get into the Salvatore boarding school. His relationship with the ex-vampire was tightened when Damon took his sister. Rick organized a memorable bachelor party where the boys battled drunk vows that they could always count on each other. A secret alliance was formed between Matt, Alaric, Dorian, Jeremy and Damon, a kind of true fraternal friendship. Now Damon hoped that what had happened to Elena would not tear the bond between them.

“Elena called.” Jeremy's voice sounded expressionless, but the older Salvatore suddenly tensed.

Bonnie exercised up on the couch, ready to jump in if her friend needed spiritual support. Damon was sometimes (quite often) a little hypersensitive. Caroline also raised her head, like a meerkat, sniffing danger and sticking her nose out of the nest.

“Yeah?” Damon asked.

"What's all this, Damon? I don't want to believe you broke up! You were there for each other.”

Caroline, Bonnie, and now the single Salvatore snorted at the same time, then looked at each other significantly.

“Look, Jer!” His brother-in-law would have begun to explain, but Caroline cut him off.  
"Elena was mess with him, and we all know that. So much so that Damon was finally on his heels!” Caroline jumped up nervously and walked in front of the screen. She looked at Jeremy with her arms folded and pierced eyes. "Your sister is not a saint, to put it mildly. So if you try to protect her, your trouble will accumulate with me.

"Oh, you have to fight through with me first!" Bonnie interrupted firmly. Her eyes almost scattered sparks.

Coming here, she thought about the events of the past day a hundred times. She re-evaluated her relationship with the Gilberts and concluded that she had just been exploited. While Elena kept claiming that she was her best friend, she was constantly endangering everyone, and it was Bonnie who always pulled them out of trouble. Elena mere existence threatened catastrophe, but she could never sit on her ass and let everyone else do their thing. And now it has happened. Elena took the supernatural “problem” into her own hands because she didn’t trust the Salvatore school to handle them, nor did she trust her own husband, which was very bad for Bonnie. She didn't understand.

Then there was Jeremy. For a long time, she measured that there were no romantic threads to the younger Gilbert, but she still lived vividly about how the boy had cheated on her with a ghost and then how he flirted with Liv, the witch of Gemini. Although he kept claiming that Bonnie was the love of his life, it had been proven countless times that this was not true. One of the reasons she really loves Damon is the man’s loyalty and perseverance. Bonnie wasn't at all surprised that the older Salvatore had lasted so long in a marriage that basically didn't bring him much pleasure. He could have played the husband in love in front of the others, and even deceived himself, but not Bonnie. Nevertheless, she believed that if Elena and Damon lived a long life with each other, their sacrifice would not be in vain. Stefan, Enzo, her grandmother, Tyler, and everyone else they lost can rest in peace.

But now she was beginning to realize how stupid she really was. Even after Lucifer realized her secretary and brought to the surface her feelings for Damon, she felt she owed Elena so much for trying to stifle them again. It caused a lot of effort, weeping, sleepless nights not to bounce on a plane, knock on Damon’s door, and then confess everything to him. She wondered how well she could handle it without tearing off his clothes. Especially now that the man had sent his the most beautiful smile to her remark of the former.

“Girls, girls!” Damon interrupted, but he seemed to enjoy the situation very much. "I appreciate you coming to my defense so quickly, but I'll take care of Little Gilbert."

“Listen, Jer! Between Elena and me, things haven't worked the way they should for a while. You’ll soon find out what the real reason is, but it has nothing to do with the divorce because I didn’t know about it.” His voice became nervous. “Before it became clear what Elena was doing behind us, I wanted us both to be happy, and our marriage was all but unhappy in recent months. There are contradictions between us that we can no longer ignore. That's why I decided to divorce.” Damon's expression changed. “Aaaaand, the cold shower has come, and right now the only future I can imagine for Elena is a cardboard box next to the University of Whitmore, where she begs the little students for some coins with her tangled hair in torn clothes.”

“Whaat?” There was complete confusion on Jeremy's face.

Caroline also raised her astonished look at her brother-in-law, and so did the others, except Bonnie and Alaric, who, death-wise, quietly read on to perhaps the most shocking document of his life. Damon pointed to Alaric, and the others had only just noticed that the headmaster was flipping through the diary.

“Rick? Where are you in the lines?” the elder Salvatore asked urgently.

Alaric looked up like he didn't want to believe what he saw.

“I do not know what to say. Be angry or cry. I don't want to believe she did this to you.”

Damon nodded understandingly, then turned to Bonnie.

"Carrie," he pointed out to the witch, "could have performed scenes from the Exorcist, and I messed up Stefan's grave bit."

To this, Caroline snatched the diary from Rick's hand with lightning speed and immediately began to run through it. Moments later, she passed on the book in chill. The blood vessels around her eyes swelled and her iris darkened. Anger brought out the vampire's face. She was about to turn on her heel when she felt something block her movement. She turned around and saw Bonnie getting up from the couch. The witch held out her right hand in front of her, using a spell to stop her girlfriend.

"If you kill her now, you'll never forgive yourself," Bonnie's voice snapped. - Believe me, I know how you feel. I felt the same way, and even now I am doing my best to restrain myself.”

“What's going on here?” Jeremy asked.

The news didn't even seem to have reached Matt. Damon took a deep breath. He didn’t want to tell the truth, but he felt obligated to be the one to answer that question.

“Elena works for the Augustin Society, and most likely they are behind the mysterious disappearance of our students, plus she slept with one of her colleagues. Well, any more questions?”

The announcement was followed by a shocked silence. There was not a pee. Everyone stared at themselves because they were simply unable to comprehend that the lovely, good Elena could do that. They looked at Damon almost at the same time. Who is pitiful, who is understanding, who is shaking own head.

“No no!” Damon shook his head. "This is not the 'sorry Damon Salvatore together' meeting. We need to discuss how to free them from the hell they are in right now.” His voice faded, his face grim and his eyes reflected endless pain.

Bonnie stepped beside him and placed her hand comfortably on his arm, which Damon immediately grabbed and involuntarily drew tiny circles on it with his finger. Caroline walked to the other side and touched his shoulder. The two women stood by him now, as always, and that meant a lot to Damon. He loved them and was responsible for them, it was good to know that the two of them felt the same way about him, especially Bonnie. Caroline was like a sister to him. As he once said, "A bright light in the sea of darkness." And Bonnie meant the world to him.

Alaric was the first wo react. He looked at Elena like his daughter, but this betrayal completely overwhelmed him. In addition to the Gilbert girl, as principal of a school reserved for supernatural beings, he was also responsible for many other people. It was more important to him than anything else.

“We haven’t been able to measure them so far, but Whitmore could be a possible starting point.”

Jeremy just didn't want to believe what he heard. But in recent months, his sister has been acting really weird. The fact that he cheated on Damon didn't surprise him that much. It's a family curse somewhere. Grayson Gilbert wasn't always loyal to his wife either, and only Gilbert Jr. knew about it. Not to mention Uncle John.

“What makes you think the two are related? I mean, the disappearance of the students and the Augustines,” he finally asked.

"The dates," Bonnie replied. “It’s too obvious that the students started disappearing when the experiments restarted. I tried to measure them with a locator spell, but found nothing. The Augustine can have a means to a cloak spell from being found on their subjects. But” she sighed here “there is another way to find the exact place.”

Damon looked at Bonnie with widened eyes. He knew what the witch was thinking, but it posed several dangers.

“No, Bon-Bon!” He said firmly. “You can't do it again!”

Bonnie looked at her friend with a forgiving smile.

“It has to, Old Man! We won’t find them otherwise. Remember what happened last time! You were caught again, and you almost killed Enzo, Stefan, and…” she took a deep breath “Voldemort.”

Damon shuddered as he recalled memories of some strange compound being injected into him by one of the Augustin scientists. The material made him drink vampire blood, and Enzo, who had received him again as his friend, didn’t want to let him down. Then a manipulative bitch number one (Katherine) persuaded Stefan to go free him. Then she had just pretended to be Elena again. She wanted to get his little brother to kill him. There were no beautiful or pleasant memories at all. But even then, he didn't want Bonnie to try something that could hurt the witch.

"I don't like the idea that you want to expose yourself to such danger again. You said you don’t have complete control over your telepathic abilities yet.”

"But Bonnie's right," Alaric said. "Without her, we may not find them."

“What if I did a little research?” The sheriff asked. "I have the resources to sniff around Whitmore."

“No, Matt! Your resources need something else now.”

Damon looked around the company. Bonnie's discovery of the Travelers was of much greater concern. Lucifer's identity terrified him, and the truth about the doppelgangers simply frightened him. They will have to face something again that may grow too much on them. He wanted to swim out this trouble without losses.

"Then can we agree that I'll track down the students and go free them?"

"I will put the matter to the vote," Damon said. He still didn't want to go with that Bonnie open her mind again. On the last try, the witch lost consciousness for a good few hour, and Damon was afraid the woman would never wake up. He didn’t want at all to experience this again.

The others sighed a lot, yet everyone muttered an “okay” before Damon nodded.

"Then, who wants Bonnie to risk her life again to solve a seemingly difficult problem?"

The witch hit his back.

“Auch!” Damon moaned.

“Don't be so dramatic!” Bonnie hissed, then turned to the others. “No need to vote! I will be able to solve it. I’ve been working on this for the past one year, as I’ve already mentioned to you, Old Man. I'll find them!” She declared confidently.

"And what if I asked Elena?" Damon interrupted.

“Do you think she'll tell you?” Bonnie raised an eyebrow doubtfully.  
"No," Caroline said angrily. Her eyes darkened again and her face changed. “But I'll take it out from her.” The blonde's hands clenched into fists. She had to control herself a lot so as not to rush to Elena and tear her body to tiny pieces.

"I can handle Mrs. Frankenstein!" Damon said firmly. "As soon as I find out something, I'll call you right away. I still have enough influence on her to tell me the truth.”

His words sounded hard. He sighed heavily, then stroked his hair in a lazy motion. He turned his head before his joints crackled heavily on the movement. They had to figure out how to proceed.

"If they have it, Bonnie, Caroline and Rick will come with me to free the puppies. I hope we can agree on that.”

"Then you discard my special locator spell?" Bonnie asked in frustration.  
“Yes!” Damon replied. "From now until the end of my miserable human life, I won't let you get in trouble for the Gilberts." He looked at the screen of the lap top. "I'm sorry, Little Gilbert, but you're no exception!"

Jeremy burst into laugh.

“I see, man! And I'm sorry about the Elena thing. She didn't even tell me that.”

Damon sent him a pity look.

“Yes, Jer. I remember how ‘honest’ she had always been with you.” Concentrated sarcasm dripped from his voice. "She never manipulated you to become a better brother. In fact, she didn't make erase your memories… with me.” Damon took a deep breath and looked around at his people.” You know what?” The poetic question came. “I wasn't so surprised.” The others looked up at him in amazement. “What now?!” Damon hopped back on the couch. "Elena is manipulative, selfish, and she loves if she's in the spotlight, if you haven't noticed that before," he pursed his lips mockingly. “It's a haunting reminder of someone.” He started snapping his finger, then pretending to recall something. “I don't know… uh it's already on my tongue.

“Who do we know?” Caroline asked.

“Ding! Ding! Ding! And the winner, Blondie!” Damon applauded his sister-in-law.

“Come on, Damon!” Alaric interrupted. "She must have had a good reason to do so."

“Still, what?!” Bonnie asked angrily. "What excuse could you find for Elena torturing vampires in the Augustine Society? I know exactly what they did to Damon and Enzo at the time. But if you can even explain that, there's nothing to make her wide her legs on one of her colleagues."

Caroline had a moment of heureka. Suddenly she looked at Damon and before she thought about what she wanted to say…

“That’s why you’re not…”  
"Blondiee" came the warning from Damon's mouth.

Of course, it immediately piqued the interest of the others.

“What do not?” Matt asked. He was sacredly convinced that he had missed something important.

“Forget it!” Damon replied firmly.

Bonnie, on the other hand, sat down next to him and scanned her friend's face incomprehensibly.

“What?” Damon whispered.

Bonnie kept staring.

"Did you know you're just like Stefan then?"

Bonnie sighed, then crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Caroline, please confirm me that our favorite little witch is now a one-on-one exam like my poor, prosperous brother!" The older Salvatore grinned.

"I totally agree," the Blondie nodded.

As Bonnie still hadn't stopped fixing Damon, the man forced a reluctant whisper in her ear.

“I’m going to tell you later.”

The witch finally nodded.

There was silence around the company for a while. Each thought into their own thoughts. Damon whispered to Bonnie. They argued about when to throw Lilith's curse, doppelgangers, Lucifer cocktails at the others. The man finally decided they would rather get over it now. They need to act fast if they don’t want an even bigger mess.

“Now that we are past the first shock, it is time to move on to our second agenda item, the travelers.” He looked at the witch. “Bon-bon, on the stage!” He gestured to her.

Bonnie leaned forward in her seat on the couch, then clasped her hands over her legs. She thought for a while about where to start the story, and finally decided to tell everybody everything what she got know. Except for the very unpleasant confession what Lucifer pulled out of her.

"I first started in Bulgaria, where the Travelers presumably come from," she began. Dorian leaned forward. "I went to the Vatican. That's how I got to Los Angeles, where I met…” she took a deep breath here “with the devil.

She looked around curiously at what the reaction would be. Everyone was trying to stifle the laugh. Even Dorian smiled at her.

“Oookay!” Bonnie said. “So, you don't believe me. As you know, I am a seer. I went to a place called Lux where I met the owner, Lucifer Morningstar…”

"You don't mean the handsome British accent guy is the devil, do you?" Caroline interrupted.

Bonnie looked at Damon, who grinned wickedly at her, then turned back to Caroline.

"I do," the witch nodded with a smile. "Lucifer is Lucifer, because he's the devil. I touched him and saw everything. In fact, he doesn't really deny the thing.” She sighed while the others stared at her. “There are two worlds. One for humans, one for supernatural beings. The two don’t usually mix with each other, but in places like Mystic Falls, the two are present at the same time. Moreover, supernatural beings were here much earlier than ordinary humans. Magic is part of our world. Lucifer said we got it from his father.

“Wait!” Dorian interrupted suddenly. "Are you saying that everything in the Bible is true?"

"Not everything," the witch replied. “But broadly so. Lucifer's father created this world, as well as hell and heaven. His children are angels. Lucifer / Samael / Beelzebub / Satan is also his child.

“What?!” Matt interrupted coldly. "You can't take that seriously, Bonnie!"

The witch shook her head with a smile.

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it, but I've spent half a year with Lucifer and believe me, he really is the devil. He even has a superpower.

“Excuse me?” Damon asked in surprise. “You didn't even mention that.” The man's voice seemed a little disappointed.

“I didn't think that was so important.”

Bonnie's memories came out again, but Damon sat there beside her and she preferring to swing quickly over the subject.

"So," she began again, but of course the older Salvatore interrupted her again.

“What is this superpower?”

Bonnie sighed.

“He's literally tempting people. Bring out your innermost, most secret desires. It brings to the surface things that one does not want to admit to oneself or does not even know that they are in it.”

The witch couldn't do about it, but something made her look at the man sitting next to her. Her feelings struck her very hard again. _‘What have you truly desire?’_ Lucifer asked then, and Bonnie said only one name, _‘Damon’_. Because it was the most feared secret what she really wanted. She was in love with her best friend, and as much as she was afraid of that feeling, she also wanted the other to reciprocate.

However, Damon only made her situation more difficult now.

"And what's your secret desire, Bon-bon?" He asked as he winked.

_‘You’_ , almost ran out of Bonnie’s mouth, but eventually managed to stop herself.

“Right now? Let’s just get over this whole Elena affair and the Travelers. Get everything back to normal.”

"Oh, I thought it was something juicier," The older Salvatore said, playing the disappointment. “Say a sweet threesome? Me, Blondie and you. I know how dirty your fantasies can be.”

Caroline and Bonnie looked at him grimacing as Damon raised his hands in front of him.

“Good, I know. I'm disgusting.” He gestured to the witch. “Continue! 

“According to Lucifer, it all started with Lilith."

Dorian and Alaric pulled forward in their chairs, Matt frowning incomprehensibly, as did Caroline.

"Adam Lilith's first wife," Bonnie continued. “The ancient witch. Through his intercession, the doppelgangers were created. She was driven out of the Garden of Eden because she rebelled against God. She didn't want to surrender to the men.

“What has this got to do with the Travelers?” Alaric asked.

"Well," she looked at Damon significantly, who nodded, "Lilith hasn't escaped love either, supposedly. Cain and Abel also lost on it. Cain killed his brother because of Lilith.”

The others waited anxiously for a sequel, only Damon immersed himself in his thoughts. His brain was already wondering how to solve another doppelganger’s problem that was re-emerging. All of them.

"After she couldn't get any of the brothers, Lilith retired. She gave an army to Lucifer, that is, she gave birth to demons.” Bonnie stood up and walked to a hidden corner of the library. She was looking for a drink. She found herself a little soda. There was no question of alcohol now. SHe tried to explain the whole story to the others, but many times even she seemed confused. With a glass full of water in her hand, she walked slowly back to the company, but she didn't sit next to Damon drinking.  
“The Travelers are descendants of beings born of angelic and human phrygians. Magic, as a gift from God, was at their disposal,” she began again. "Initially, they served Lucifer's father, taking care of order after losing the Garden of Eden. They kept the balance of the nature. But Lilith came and confused them.

"There are no records of these," Dorian said in amazement.

"Oh, you won't find that," Bonnie told him. "The secret of the doppelgangers is kept by the devil. They have not even been included in the apocryphal records, and it denies the existence of Lilith to the point of breaking the nail of the Catholic Church. Even if any written documentation was made, it may have long disappeared during the cleanups.”

Alaric sank back into his chair. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He tried to recall everything he knew about the Bible and the apocryphal records. He did not consider himself a religious man at all. Moreover, for a long time he did not even believe in the supernatural existence until he knew Damon. Isobel, his first wife, Elena's biological mother, was obsessively searching for paranormal phenomena, but Rick didn't care at all at the time. However, he has been through a lot since then and felt nothing could surprise him, but he was wrong. Bonnie spoke to them about God and the devil, and the angels, with such naturalness that he simply could do nothing but believe in her. And that has now changed his image of the whole world.

"We know the story of Silus and Amara," the witch continued. “Again, an unfortunate ending of a love triangle. But it would be better to call this a love square.” Bonnie took a deep breath and blew it out quickly.” Silus had a brother. More specifically, a brother who was also in love with Amara. Oh, and Amara was Lilith's doppelganger.  
“Let's wait!” Matt interrupted. "Wasn't it that Amara was the original, and since she drank that immortality potion, did nature create shadow selves?"  
"No," came the simple reply. “Amar was a doppelganger of Lilith, created by Lucifer’s angelic power. That was part of her revenge. Amara had to seduce the brothers, tear them apart. Guess who Amara was first with?”

There was a sudden light in Caroline's mind. She looked roundly at Damon and then at Bonnie.

"With Silus’ brother," Caroline said, and the witch nodded. 

“That's right. Silus' brother, Castillus, was also a traveler. According to Lucifer, the man's talent stood out from the rest, he was strong and cunning, and Quetsiyah's confidant.”

Everyone raised their heads at this. Bonnie looked around at her friends. She thought of what Lucifer had said to her, _‘History repeats itself.’_ Dorian jumped up and headed for one of the ceiling-high bookshelves. Something might have come to mind as he began feverishly searching through the books. The witch continued the story.

“The doppelgangers of Amara and Silus have been created again and again throughout the history thanks to a curse that Lilith has cast.” Seeing the doubtful expressions of the others, she decided to explain the point better. “The doppelgangers were not created by nature. Nor is the immortality potion quite the invention of Quetsiyah. Bonnie sighed heavily. “You have to understand something! This is not all about people or the supernatural. It is a very long history in which the heavens have been involved. Lilith is selfish, independent and rebellious. She had to give up everything, and she herself was cursed. It’s all not just about us, it’s more about how a tens of thousands of years old creature wants to take revenge on the one who hurt her.”

Members of the Scooby gang stared silently at the Bennett witch. No one could comment. They had to digest what they heard because they didn’t even fully understand the original story. However, it was important for Bonnie for her friends to see the connections, so she tried to continue.

“At the beginning of the story, Castillus, Silus, and Quetsiyah lived in peace. The Travelers, so to speak, kept the balance of the world, which Lilith did not like. The two strongest members of the coven, the brothers, refused to surrender to Lilith, so she had to find a way to break the bond between the two of them.” She paused again. After seeing those sitting around they digest what they heard, she went on. “And the best way to manipulate men is to get them to think with their dicks.” She addressed his mocking smile this time specifically to Damon, who grinned at his tongue. Caroline hid her giggle behind her hand, and the other male members of the company tried to take on as flat a shape as possible. Alaric had Isobel, Matt had Rebekah, Jeremy had Anna. "With Lucifer's help, the first doppelganger, Amara, was created. She was born with the sole purpose of tearing the brothers apart to break unity. We don’t know what Lilith’s final plan is, but it sure started with that.” She took a deep breath here again. But there was someone he didn't count on. Namely Quetsiyah. She created the Other Side, trapping the two lovers, and Castillus sacrificed himself to make the cure. That's how he saved Amara. After that, Quetsiyah regretted what she had done. She vowed eternal allegiance to the Great Chief, who, according to Lucifer, defended her bloodline and then sentenced the Travelers to eternal damnation. Thus, the Travelers and the witches split in two.

"And you're a descendant of Quetsiyah," Alaric said.

Bonnie nodded. Dorian, meanwhile, was finally back. He feverishly flipped through a book he put down on the table. He motioned for the others to come closer. He quickly ran to the bookshelves again, then returned with two more books.

“Look!” He pointed to a picture in one of the books that looked like a family tree. For a very old family tree. "The people in the Armory have done some serious research. We brought these three books from there. I haven't been able to connect them so far. But that makes sense why you were so interested in you. They needed Enzo not just because the St. John family founded the Armory, but because they befriended you.”

Dorian looked at Damon and Bonnie omnisciently, then they all began to study the three volumes. As they took a closer look, very familiar names appeared in the figure. At the top were the names of Silus and Castillus engraved in old style with very nicely calligraphed letters. Countless twigs grew out of the two names, more and more of which led down to the bottom of the page, where five names evoking not very pleasant memories could be seen: Rebekah, Finn, Kol, Elijah, and Niklaus, members of the original vampire family.

The shock almost dawned on his faces. Caroline picked up her phone from the pocket of her farm jeans, took a picture, and immediately sent it to Jeremy. The hunter’s phone ringing through his laptop could heard.

“I suggest you continue!” Dorian said again.

Damon took the initiative and began to gently rotate the pages so the others could see. His eyes caught on another family tree. Dates have already been attached to these. At the top they were members of the originals again, but as the branches descended lower and lower, Damon became paler and paler. By the time he reached the bottom of the page, he was almost dizzy. At the root of the family tree was the following: the name of Guiseppe Salvatore was connected by a line to Lillian Marie Salvatore. Two others branched out from this line: Stefan Salvatore and Damon Salvatore along with dates of birth and death. In the strictest sense of the word, he belonged to Klaus' bloodline, not just as a vampire.

“And that's not all.” Dorian showed them the other two leather-bound books, which also looked pretty old. "These are the family trees of the Petrova and Bennett families. There are points where the branches meet at the three families and then separate again. Quetsiyah prevented not only Silus and Amara from being each other, but also Lilith from grabbing them. The Bennett’s story is about self-sacrifice, and it always happened when a Petrova and a Salvatore were near them. I don’t think Lilith wanted to punish the doppelgangers or the brothers.

Bonnie swallowed hard. That was what she was thinking when she made Lucifer to tell the story for a hundred times. The movement of the Travelers, the curse of Lilith, the enchance of the doppelgangers merely because of a love disappointment? She couldn't believe there was that much in the background. What Dorian found now might have been the missing piece of the puzzle.

"Every time a Petrova met a Salvatore, a Bennett witch was harmed." Dorian explained.

Bonnie and Damon looked at each other. As so many times before, they knew they were thinking the same thing. Bonnie literally died several times because of the doppelgangers and lost even more. Caroline scanned them curiously, too, just as Alaric could stare at herself. It was hard for them to digest.

The elder Salvatore suddenly didn't know where to look. For most of the bad things that happened to the witch, he was largely responsible. He felt the bitter taste of guilt in his mouth as he sobbed toward the small couch. He sat down, put his chin in his palm, and looked at the others sadly. What did he think? He and Bonnie? He may be glad that she accepted him as her friend at all, and even as her best friend. His melancholy mood was broken by Bonnie. The witch cleared her throat and then began to speak again.

"It's a brand new discovery," she pointed to the books. “But so I already understand why there is a constant flow of two brothers next to a Petrova, and what Lucifer meant that I am protected.”

Damon suddenly raised his head and began to curiously search his friend, who continued to speak.

“If Dorian is right, and Lilith wants revenge not only on the brothers, but especially on Quetsiyah, she targeted the Bennetts. And, if - freely after Lucifer - the bloodline is blessed and protected, then the Salvatores were assigned to this task, that is, descendants of Silus and Castillus. Speaking of Castillus. Did I mention that we have a doppelganger among us sitting here? Even now. Currently.”

As it was said, everyone looked at Damon. It was too obvious.

“What now?!” asked the older Salvatore with some edge.

"Are you saying Damon is a doppelganger?" Alaric asked doubtfully.

Bonnie nodded in agreement as the others burst out laughing.

“You see it?” Damon said to the witch. “I said it was ridiculous.”

Bonnie sank down on the couch beside him, folded her arms across her chest, and sighed heavily, and Damon patted her thighs.

"Really weird," she finally replied. He smiled mischievously at Damon. "Sometimes there's one lot of you."

“Hey!”

"I just imagined what it would be like if two of you were running here."

"Can I shoot my hair without a mirror?"

“Vanity, Damon is your name!”

The only answer was a sneer.

"I'm not used to feathering in the bathroom for an hour," Bonnie continued, chirping.  
“Aren’t you?” Damon raised an eyebrow. “Let me remind you, Bon-Bon, that during our cohabitation, for a fleeting hour and a half, you chose the clothes available to us for a simple shopping.” He leaned closer to her. "So no one but us was there."

Bonnie waved him a little.

“Because there was nothing else in that damn world except flannel shirts, flannel t-shirts, and ridiculously short tops.”

“Pff! You could have walked away in front of me in panties and a bra.

Suddenly they both fell silent. Then Bonnie pursed her lips, almost like a devilish grin.

"Oh, would you have been able to resist," her hand followed the line of her body, "this?"

Damon giggled softly, shaking his head, then wiggled his eyebrows.

"And you," he suddenly leaned very close to the witch, that their noses almost touched, "this?"

Bonnie felt the man's warm breath in her mouth and froze for a moment, but then she quickly switched and pushed the other's face away from her palm. They both started giggling. Their laughter echoed in the quiet room, signaling to them that the others had stopped talking and laughing. They noticed that everyone was staring at them.

Bonnie cleared her throat, then pulled herself out and continued what she had to say.

“The Travelers, I mean Lilith’s Travelers, have been working for millennia to break the curse Lucifer’s father has inflicted on them. It was thought that if they abolished witch magic all over the world, they would be liberated.” Everyone started nodding at that. The members of the gang were well aware of the consequences of this plan. "But there's another way what is known by few. If you free Lilith herself from the curse. Well, that’s exactly what the Travelers we follow want.”

She looked around the company, who, feverishly thinking, slowly put together the picture. There were two curses: one struck the wanderers, the other the Bennetts. When they thought about how they wanted to draw the bloodline, they were still shivering.

“How do the Travelers plan to break the curse?” Alaric asked.

Bonnie didn't answer right away. She remembered the phone call a week ago and all she learned from Lucifer.

"With doppelgangers’ blood," he said at last. "If they're getting ready for something big, they need doppelganger blood." She got up from the couch again and walked up and down. “Lilith’s coming, or incarnation, or whatever it means to be released from prison, where Lucifer says she doesn’t, is indicated by several things. The last doppelgangers, the child of the dead became living, and the broke of the enchantment.”

The Bennett witch stopped again to take a deep breath. She wanted to get over this as soon as possible because he now considered it more important to stop the Augustine Society than to locate the Travelers. At the moment, they could do nothing about it until they found out where the members of the dangerous coven were and what they wanted, and that proved more difficult than she thought. She decided to speed things up a bit, if they got more knowledge, like the origins of the three families, they would stick their heads together and figure out what to do, but in the meantime she wanted to focus more on the missing students and punish Elena. She couldn't let her get away with it. She should provide a minimum explanation for why she did it.

“Look! The most important of all, the Travelers head for Mystic Falls. We know very little about how they want to carry out their plan. The point is, as long as Stephanie stays in school, she’s safe, and I suggest you, too, Old Man, move your home here for a while” Bonnie turned to Damon.

“Why?!” He interrupted indignantly.

“Ah!” Bonnie sighed wearily. "Because you're a doppelganger too, and we don't know if the Travelers know about you, but we can assume they do. According to Lucifer’s sources, the Travelers are preparing for a resurrection ceremony, but we don’t know who they want to bring back…

“Stefan!” Damon jumped up from the couch.

“What?”! Caroline stood up too.

"That's not possible," Matt said in a dying voice.

"But yes," Dorian added softly.

"I can't believe this," Jeremy's voice came through the laptop.

“It would be possible that the Travelers also found the spell?” Alaric asked.

“The Travelers are able to pass from one body to another. Markos came back from the Other Side. I did the same,” Bonnie replied. “Nothing is impossible, Rick. If Dorian and I found it, they could have done the same, or there might be another loophole.

"You already have a job, Donovan," Damon pointed to the sheriff. "Make sure Stefan's grave is intact, then watch out for Mystic Falls! If strangers show up who are conspicuously not tourists, report it to Alaric!”

Damon was ready with a plan. The picture hadn’t been fully put together yet, but the older Salvatore was already in action. Bonnie specifically loved that in him.

“Is there anything else, Bon-Bon?”

“That is it for now. But Steph also needs to be watched. The birth of the child of the dead became living great echo in supernatural circles, and we all know that Stephanie is not an average five-year-old girl. Lucifer said the Travelers want her the same way because her blood is more valuable than the doppelgangers’. Bonnie turned to Alaric. "And there's a prophecy to look for. ‘When the half-angel and the witch unite, the gates open and the slut is released from her prison.’ I think the slut is Lilith.”

Dorian thought deeply, then suddenly raised his head.

“Something is not right. I mean, with this whole Lilith story. I don’t know yet what’s bothering me, but I have to look for something. Lilith is not depicted as evil in ancient writings. He is merely a symbol of rebellion against God, as is Lucifer.” He pursed his lips. ”They say it's not just a symbol. And the slut does not designate Lilith in the scriptures. I have to look exactly to see who the slut is, but it sure isn’t Lilith.”

“What do you mean?” Bonnie suddenly looked at the teaching assistant. "Lucifer himself said that Lilith asked him to create Amara."

"Then Lucifer lied."

“No!” Said the witch firmly. “Lucifer never lies.”

“Waow!” Damon's voice was jealous again. "How vehemently you protect the devil."

“Oh, shut up, Old Man! I'm not protecting. This is just a simple fact. He never lies. Literally and hate to be manipulated. That's why he hates Lilith.”

"But it's also a fact that the slut isn't Lilith. She was never called that” Dorian declared confidently, and Bonnie slowly began to believe him.

Dorian joined the band under strange circumstances. He simply got involved in the middle of events, and then suddenly he became the one who, with his knowledge, saved the city from destruction. He has been with Alaric ever since and loves his job. Bonnie says he’s one of the most helpful members of the team because he has a huge amount of knowledge, and if he doesn’t know the answer to something, he knows where to look for.

“All right. Check it out if you feel better about it!”

Damon pulled the edge of his mouth thoughtfully. Until they know specifics, they cannot act. Now comes a period of observation, gathering information, and waiting.

"Ehmm," he cleared his throat. "So, Donovan and Little Gilbert, you're watching the Travelers! In case of any suspicious movement or the appearance of a poorly dressed, malnourished stranger!” Matt and Jeremy agreed. "I'll take out of Mrs. Frankenstein, where she put our beloved students, if I find out anything, I'll tell you. Blondie, Rick, you were watching Steph.” He turned to the witch. “Bon-Bon, don't do anything stupid!”

“What kind?” The witch hissed between her teeth.

“Don't try your psychic skills to find the company's headquarters, say!”

Bonnie rolled her eyes at Caroline. She looked at the Blondie, who just smiled under her mustache. Bonnie sent her a “what’s wrong with him” look, but she didn’t say a word in the end. Damon knew her all too well, and he also needed to know that despite the outright, as the ex-vampire exposes his leg from here, Bonnie tries to open her mind again to connect with the lost pupils. No matter how dangerous it is to lower her mental wall, they must protect those children. Lucy Bennett said at the time that Bonnie’s place was at among those creature, and although she wanted to know as far away from these dangerous creatures as possible at a young age, in fact, she was one of them.

“Does everyone know their job?” Damon finally asked. With this, he informed the others that he considered the meeting completed. “Then everyone can go about their business. If there is anything, let me know!”

The older Salvatore turned and walked toward the minibar. He didn't want to drink alcohol, he wanted something refreshing. While the others were seducing, he wondered how to get the truth out of Elena without killing the woman. He wanted her to suffer the same way he did. All his grief and terrible actions were due to two women: Katerina Petrova and Elena Gilbert. He would have been known in the beginning that this would not be a good end. A Gilbert? Plus, Isobel's daughter. He just felt himself stupid again.

A few minutes later, only Bonnie was left in the lounge. She slowly stepped closer to her friend, pulling herself together carefully, not wanting to rush him.

“Well, how are you?” she asked.

Damon took a sip of the orange juice, then put down his glass and looked at the witch with a faint smile.

“Better than I expected.”

Bonnie nodded cautiously.

"There's something I didn't tell the others," she began cautiously.

“I'm listening.”

“It's about my magical abilities. It started on its own yesterday.  
The man stared at her with wide eyes. She also felt something when… well when they kissed each other.

“And what does it mean?”

"I don't know," the witch shrugged helplessly. “When I read Elena’s diary and went home, I just couldn’t control the outbursts. I didn't even notice what was happening around me.”

"That's why the equipment went off," Damon nodded. He already understood that.

“Yeah. Then” Bonnie blushed and suddenly became very hot “when you know, at the “friendly kiss”. Damon grinned. “Well, it still happened.”

"I'm so Professional," Damon said, and Bonnie sent him a pity look.

“Believe me, that's not what this is about.”

Damon turned away from his friend with feigned frustration.

“I am serious. I'm worried about all this. I don't know what it's from.”

This time, the man took what was said really seriously.

“We'll find out after that. But I seriously told you not to do anything that would endanger yourself.”

Bonnie bit her lower lip.

“I will not.”

With that, Damon breathed a running kiss on her forehead, waved goodbye to her, and then headed home to face the biggest disappointment of his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I owe you a confession. I made a mistake. I watched the Season 5 of Lucifer. Who didnt see for them the whole story will be a huge spoiler. Who didnt see the the show for them it will be a twist in this fic. I think a very intresting twist. Who saw the Season 5 of Lucifer they will know what i had to do.  
> Lets talk about the time. TVD is after seven years of the final episode in this fiction. Lucifer is before about one year the pilot. Lucifer still doesnt know Chloe yet. (Too much caracter I think) But, the elements of all season will show up in my fic. So be carefull. 
> 
> Huh, so how do you like this chapter? I love to wrote, especially the phone calls between Care and the love birds. I hope you are not pissed off me so much. That was a story time, I know. But we saw the Scooby - gang. Jeremy is a member of the gang and Matt too. One problem that I didnt see The Originals so i didnt know so much about Hope I only see her in the Legacies. But the fic is before the Legacies. But I thought about some bond between Damon and Hope. You will see why. Yes, technically they are siblings in my story:p
> 
> So i will be so glad if you write me some comments. And of course Have a nice reading:))


	13. Everybody lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I finally managed to write this chapter as well. So as I approached the semester, I had quite a few things to do, and I started writing my other story as well. Certainly not at the expense of this. I hope you deserved to wait for this chapter and you would like it. Thank you very much for your comments so far, and I am very happy that you appreciate my work. I want you to continue to write, to send a heart, but most of all to give you at least as much joy as reading as much as it makes me happy to write.
> 
> About the chapter: We get to know what happened with Damon, but after that we see what happened during the whole day. At first we meet an old friend, than Lucifer is appear a little. Enjoy it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As it used to i add a poem to this chapter too which fit to the chapter and i also add a you tube link. 
> 
> Where is the tyranny  
> there is tyranny  
> not just in the barrel,  
> not just in prisons,
> 
> not only in interrogation rooms,  
> not just at night  
> in the words of a shouting guard,  
> there is tyranny
> 
> not just smoke-dark  
> flag indictment,  
> confession,  
> in the wall morse of prisoners,
> 
> not only is the judge cool  
> in his judgment: guilty!  
> there is tyranny  
> not just the military
> 
> in a pop-up "watch out!"  
> In "fire!", In drumming,  
> and in the way the corpse  
> they are drawn into a pit,
> 
> not just in secret  
> half-opened door  
> scared  
> in whispered news,
> 
> he fell in front of his mouth  
> pissing finger,  
> there is tyranny  
> not just grid-solid
> 
> in superimposed facial features  
> and he is now speechless in this grid  
> enslaved jajsikolyban,  
> the silence
> 
> increasing silent tears  
> in the waterfall,  
> in an exhausted eyeball,
> 
> there is tyranny  
> not just on his feet  
> roared alive,  
> in hurricanes, songs,
> 
> where is the tyranny  
> there is tyranny  
> not just the relentless  
> clapping palms,
> 
> in the horn, in the opera,  
> just so lying loudly  
> in resounding statues,  
> colors, picture room,
> 
> separately in each frame,  
> already in the brush;  
> not just softly at night  
> glider in car noise
> 
> s in  
> stopped in the doorway;
> 
> where there is tyranny, there is  
> obviously  
> in everything  
> just as long ago your god;
> 
> there is tyranny  
> in kindergartens,  
> in the paternal council,  
> in the mother's smile,
> 
> in the way the child  
> respond to a stranger;
> 
> not just in barbed wire,  
> not just in the book lines  
> better than barbed wire  
> in silly voices;
> 
> that is there  
> in the farewell kisses,  
> as the spouse says:  
> when you come home, dear;
> 
> on the street as usual  
> repeated in-or-reasons  
> the sudden softer  
> in a squeezed handshake,
> 
> as once  
> your love face freezes  
> because it is there  
> in the fly
> 
> not just in the interrogation,  
> he's there in the confession  
> in the sweet intoxication,  
> like being in wine
> 
> /Gyula Illyés: One sentence about the tyranni ( pieces) /
> 
> And song what i thought it will fit to the chapter:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpoiKDwarlw

Chapter 12

**Everybody lies**

Lorenzo St. John couldn't call himself a lucky guy. He spent his entire childhood in a bridewell, he didn’t know his family, he did not know where he came from, and whether there is anyone on this earth who will ever love him. Then when he died, an angel saved him. Then the angel turned into an evil slut, and Enzo's hopes for a better life were lost forever.

He became a vampire that was hard to bear at first, but eventually got used to the thirst for blood and accepted that in order to survive, he had to kill people. He tried to choose for himself victims who were already evil. It was not difficult to find such in World War I. The horrors of the war were hard to bear. No one was by his side. He had no friends, and the sight of the mutilated corpses reappeared in his dreams again and again. Over time, however, he learned to adapt to the situation. He restrained as befits a good soldier.

After he thought everything was going well around him at last, the Augustine Society caught him and had them a prisoner for more than seventy years. Here he learned the true depths of human evil and Damon Salvatore. After all they had done for each other, the man left him to die. Laughing, he thought back to the fact that although the older Salvatore was almost fifty years older than him, sometimes he still felt like he was talking to a child. He loved the boy very much. Many memories were shared with each other and although Damon kept denying it, he had a huge heart. 

Taken that way, it was Damon who Enzo thanks to released him from long captivity. And it was also thanks to the vampire that he became acquainted with the most wonderful creation on earth, Bonnie Bennett.

The witch, in addition to being incredibly attractive, was the first woman to really love him who accepted him as he was. The thing had only one beauty flaw. Even when they were together, Enzo already knew that Bonnie's heart wasn't entirely his. He accepted the fact that the woman would always be in love with his friend deep down. Because even so, he got more from the fate than he could have hoped for.

When Stefan tore his heart out, Enzo felt like he was living a full life. His last thought was to die as a happy man because Bonnie Bennett, if only for a short time, loved her. She fought for it and did not give up the way others did. He would not let him down and would have died for it. He did all this with confidence that Enzo had never seen before. He admired the witch, believed in her and loved her.

After Bonnie sent his soul to this plane of being, Enzo was glad they could stay in touch with each other. What they felt for each other faded pretty slowly, and the vampire knew that sooner or later it would have happened even if he had survived. He didn't mind. He just wanted Bonnie happy. That's why he wanted the witch to finally stand in front of Damon, because he was sure the man was too coward to take the first step. He just wanted to see the two people who had been closest to him all his life finally being able to live a full life on each other’s sides.

In the phantom world, he created his own little empire. He created a replica of the same house where he hid the witch for more than two years. He sat there, his guitar in his hand. With his warm brown eyes, he looked around with a sigh when he sensed something was wrong. He felt very bad. Something made him not “visit” Bonnie this time, but look at Damon.

When he directed his soul to his friend's house, he was utterly astonished. He saw Damon Salvatore, half-unconscious, lying in his own pool of blood. Enzo shouted his name, but the man didn't hear him. The vampire immediately went to Bonnie. He was able to contact her. Even…

***

_5 hours earlier in New York_

Lucifer crossed the door of one of the New York condominiums with a wide smile. He walked firmly toward the porter and easily persuaded the porter to release him to Lily Rose, who lived in the fifth-floor hallway.

When the devil stepped out of the elevator, he no longer smiled. His face was grim and unreadable. He approached the woman's apartment with long, measured, slow steps. He wondered what the once celebrated beauty might look like now. Will age appear on her? Will she remember him after so much time? When he reached the door, he turned his ring on his finger. It was a very old souvenir, from a place just called the Garden of Eden. The dark blue, square stone hid an even more valuable thing that once belonged to the woman living on the other side of the door: her immortality.

Lucifer knocked softly but firmly on the light brown-painted door. A few seconds later, an old black woman with gray hair opened the door. She looked very old, but her warm brown eyes, now staring at Lucifer out of surprise, were still glistening beautifully.

"Lucifer," she breathed in astonishment.

The devil pursed his lips.

"It's good to see you again, Lilith."

***

Damon dreamed. No, he remembered. This is how his brain protected him from pain and total collapse. Moments of his life flashed before him. The movie of your life really lurks in front of you before you die, running through Damon’s mind.

They were unrelated events and did not even follow one another in chronological order. First, a picture of his mother appeared. They were in the nursery of the Salvatore villa on the old Veritas estate. The light from the kerosene lamps drew the not-too-large room into a strange twilight. Lily hummed softly to little Stefan lying in her hand. The rocking chair squeaked with each move, and this monotonous sound, mixed with his mother's sweet singing, sent little Damon, crouching on the floor, to sleep.

The image is blurred. The next memory was a little earlier. Damon couldn't be more than five or six years old. He held a medium-sized fish in his hand. He looked at Lily with a proud smile on his face. Then he dropped the fish on the table and ran into his mother's embracing arms.

“I love you sweetheart! I'm proud of you!” his mother whispered to him.

Another memory appeared again. He was sitting in a hospital waiting room in 2019. Damon accompanied by Alaric and Bonnie, waited excitedly for the ward door to finally open. When it happened, Damon grew up right in front of the midwife, who handed him a package wrapped in a pink plush blanket. Bonnie stood beside him. Her closeness was reassuring, and Damon then wished they could stay that way forever.

This memory also faded. What replaced it was much sharper than the others. A moment in his long life that he now regrets. He shouldn't have done it. He should have been braver. It didn't worth.

_August 8, 2014 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands_

It was midnight. Damon sat in thought, sitting on the terrace of his hotel room, holding a glass full of bourbon in his hand. He just stared at the stars and listened to the steady heartbeat of the Bennett witch sighing softly on the large French bed.

His senses sharpened, even though he should have been drunk by now. But it didn't work. The morning scene was played before his eyes again and again. The car, Bonnie and the way he jerks her off. The knowledge that the witch would not survive completely terrified him, but his own reaction was even greater. It felt like they had connected his life to the girl with a secret witchy-mojo. If Bonnie dies, so will he.  
That was the feeling that scared him to death. The more time he spent in the company of the witch, the better he began to feel that he fell in love unescapable with her. And that was a danger to all three of them.

Something else was associated with that feeling. Damon was overcome by a torturous desire he had never experienced and attracted not only to Bonnie's body but to her blood. He wanted to bite her. He wanted to enter her with his fangs, not just with his dick.

He had desires for Bonnie so far. He had a very hard time holding back himself in the prison world, and he knew he hadn't been indifferent to the Bennett witch before. Bonnie, the scary little girl, became a beautiful woman. A confident, cheeky, smart, resilient girl who trusted him. Damon won her friendship and she was currently the closest to the vampire.

But according to the script, Elena Gilbert is the love of his life. That must be so! If he doesn't love her, what will happen to him? Elena changed him. She was good for him when no one expected anything good from him. She loved him and accepted him when no one else wanted him. He can't do this to the girl or to himself.

Not to mention that he'd rather poke himself in the heart with a stake than ever bite Bonnie once more. He just can’t put her in such danger and he can’t turn his back on Elena either.

Today’s incident, if nothing else, has certainly shed light on something. Damon would be unable to live without Bonnie. He already knew this when he came back from the prison world. Alone, without the witch. He would have sacrificed anything and anyone to get her back. Even Elena.

What really terrified him, though, was that if Elena’s life had passed whether Bonnie died or not, Damon would still have chosen the witch. Over and over again.

The smell of the sleeping woman hit his nose again. Honey, violets, lavender, and the peculiar sweet scent that belonged exclusively to Bonnie. Damon's eyes immediately darkened and blood-filled blood vessels swelled in his face. His fangs were already starting to grow.

He took a deep breath through his mouth to quench his desire. He found it increasingly difficult to resist the temptation. Then he heard a sudden whimper.

“Damon!”

Bonnie spoke in her sleep again. What can she dream of? It would be so easy to watch. Just a tiny touch and he could enter her dream. His body was already moving. Suddenly he found himself next to Bonnie. He sank to his knees to get closer to the woman.

“Damon, please!” Bonnie whispered again.

The vampire smiled faintly, then gently touched her hand, and entered her mind.

He found himself in a terrible place. Bonnie lay on the floor at the place of Alaric and Jo's tragic wedding. The woman's body was floating in blood, scratches on her face, from which her blood trickled in thin streaks. Damon saw himself in a tuxedo as he walked over to the witch and grinned wickedly at her.

"Did you think your life was more valuable to me than Elena's?"

Damon froze. That wasn’t happen in that way. He never thought of that. For him, the lives of both of them were equally important. And if he wanted to be completely honest with himself, he considered Bonnie’s life much more than Elena’s.

The dream-Damon continued.

“Your life is in my hands, Bon-Bon. I can take it at any time. What if I get tired of waiting?”

Dream-Damon’s vampire face showed up and he seemed to want to bite the witch.

Damon shouted loudly; he couldn't watch the scene any longer.

“Enough!”

He closed his eyes and the scene disappeared. When he reopened, they stood hand in hand with Bonnie, facing each other in the Salvatore's inn living room. The fire bounced softly in the fireplace, and Whitney Houston’s hit I will allways love you all sounded soft in the background. They were back in 1994.

“What happened?” Bonnie asked in confusion.

"You’re dreaming," Damon replied simply.

Bonnie was still confused, but she didn't let go of Damon's hand. The vampire examined her face with admiration as he smiled lovingly at her.

"Bonnie," he said at last. „I would never let you get in trouble.”

The witch raised her green eyes at Damon in amazement. The vampire smoothed a strand behind the woman's ear with a gentle motion, then ran his palm across her face, finally settling on her neck.

Damon's penetrating gaze wandered to Bonnie's lips, then gently touched him with his thumb. 

“What's happening now?” Bonnie asked in a whisper. 

“You don't have to be afraid, Bon-Bon. This is just a dream. You will barely remember it.”

The vampire's palm slid softly along the witch's body. He touched every part of the slender body with delicate, small touches. With his left hand, he reached under her blouse. Though he knew it was just a dream, he could still feel the excited throbbing of Bonnie's body clearly. Bonnie's eyes closed and a soft sigh left her mouth.

Damon leaned closer. He had just touched barely her lips with his mouth. He felt the witch tremble. He gently slid his hands under the woman's chin, then grabbed Bonnie's face in his two palms. He raised his head in a gentle motion, then breathed a gentle kiss on her lips. She didn't pull away. Damon then kissed her once more. This time more decisively. Then he took possession of the woman's mouth. They kissed passionately, their mouths touching each other, parting just enough to take a breath.

Damon's hand wandered to Bonnie's round butt. Heated by a hungry desire, he grabbed the tight flesh. He no longer kissed her lips. At first, he only touched the witch's graceful neck with the tip of his nose. He ran it all the way to the top of his shoulder, inhaling a pleasant scent that was odd. Meanwhile, he touched Bonnie's shapely, round breasts softly with her hands. He felt her nipples almost penetrate the tissue. He circled them gently with his thumb, cheating a lustful moan out of the witch.

Bonnie pressed her body to the vampire, and Damon smiled contentedly. He was hard and the woman's legs throbbed between her legs. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to be in Bonnie. He also plowed through the arch of the woman's neck with his mouth. He flooded her sensitive skin with delicate kisses.

Bonnie moaned again. She pulled Damon closer to her with her hands. The vampire felt her desire. His teeth were painfully trying to get out of his gums. He wanted to taste the witch. To feel that intoxicating taste again. To this day, he was unable to forget what the Bennett witch's blood was like. He had never tasted anything like it before. The magic almost vibrated in it. It was delicate, intoxicating, irresistible, like ambrosia. But even in the dream, Damon didn’t allow himself to bite Bonnie. This memory would haunt him forever.

Instead, he gently pulled away from Bonnie. He pressed the witch's hands to his chest and looked deep into the green eyes gleaming with desire.

"Never again think that anyone's life is worth more than yours!"

Damon's voice was soft, a little hoarse, but firm.

“You are more valuable than everyone else. Even than Elena. I will not let you die!”

Damon's words faded into whispers. He pressed his forehead to Bonnie's, then closed his eyes. It was only millimeters separated him from the woman's mouth.

"I love you Bonnie, but I can't be with you the way I want to. It's too dangerous. Forgive me!”  
With that, he interrupted the dream. A tear ran down his cheek, which he quickly wiped away. He looked for a while at the now peacefully sleeping witch, and finally headed for the other single bed.

After going to bed, he closed his eyes and ran through his mind all the feelings, memories he had experienced since he first saw little Bonnie Sheila Bennett.

Once that was done, he grabbed the feeling that was strongest: his desire for the witch. And he turned it off. Then he did his best to love Elena.

The memory suddenly broke. He felt sharp pain on his right side of his face and then on his left side as well. Someone slapped him with pure force.

“Do you hear me, Old Man?! Wake up! You can't sleep! Look at me, Damon!”

The man slowly opened his eyes. Everything seemed very vague. Bonnie's desperate face swam into his field of vision. At least he dies happily because the last thing he sees is the witch's face.

***

_7 hours earlier_

Before going home, Damon jumped into the Grill. He approached Tom Kerrigan, the deputy store manager, to discuss what to do next. Now that he had been given permission to open the new terrace, a lot of work awaited them. Damon planned to receive guests there within two weeks. It was a tourist season, it didn’t hurt to hurry.  
After talking to Tom, Damon checked the revenue and the booth last night. He also left the head waiter to oversee tonight's inventory. He didn't know how long the Augustine case would take, but he didn't want to stay away from his business for long.  
He also looked into the kitchen. He checked the ingredients, took over the chef’s dress, and even made pancake dough so they wouldn’t run out under the tourists’ attack.

While Damon was doing thingies in the Grill, Mrs. Greasley stood a little further away from Mystic Falls in Elena's lab. A black woman in her mid-thirties in a dark blue suit and black high heels studied the results of the experiment in depth.

She has worked for the Triad Industries for a very long time. It was the legacy of her family. She secretly continued this activity, not even her husband and son knew about it. She wanted little Milton to grow up in a safe world. The Triad wanted to gain full power over the supernatural beings. Wanted to use them, to control them. But vampires are too stubborn. Because of their emotional overheating, it is almost impossible to keep them in check.

With more or less interruptions in Whitmore, experiments that have been going on slowly for a century have given the Triad an opportunity to eliminate distractions. All it had to do was cast in the usual text ‘we’re acting for the greater good’ and the dean was already on top of it.

Elena Gilbert’s experience and knowledge were essential to restarting special experiments. Luckily, one of Mrs. Greasley's men had some romantic attachment to Mrs. Salvatore. 

They had no trouble persuading a mother worried about her family to work for them. Dr. Salvatore proved to be a good investment. She was far from as talented as her father, but she knew the vampires well, and her husband was the only one who possessed the antidote.

Not even Elena herself knew about it, but the goal was always to get the antidote in some way. The pathetic attempts to synthesize the drug were just diversions. By now, however, the management had become impatient. They wanted the whole family, as did the Mikaelsons, but they still have time for it. They wait until the vampire genes in the tribrid are also activated.

The Salvatores, on the other hand, are at hand. Damon may have special qualities. According to previous research, he has also created two sires. Even the formation of a sire was an extreme rarity among vampires (apart from the hybrids created by Klaus), and the blood of the older Salvatore created two in just fifty years.

Then there was Elena. The blood of the Petrovas trickled down her veins, so she is a descendant of the Travelers, plus a doppelganger.

Well, but the child? Stephanie Salvatore is a completely new phenomenon. She is the child of the became living from the dead, the key. They just hadn't figured out which lock she can open yet.

Mrs. Greasley's face grew gloomier. They had to step in today, otherwise all the research, including human resources, will be done in a swamp in Portland and they will be forgotten forever.

She sighed heavily. She still hadn't received any feedback from Dr. Salvatore. The pressure was great. The Triad did not want to draw the school's attention to itself. The Augustine Company provided them with adequate cover. This is why it would be highly desirable for observed individuals to walk into the triad net voluntarily.

But the chance seemed to fly away. One of the Triad’s well-trained armed units was already on standby if Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore could not even be persuaded to cooperate.

Mrs. Greasley's phone indicated that a message had arrived:  
‘The child stayed in boarding school. Do you want us to take action on the case?’

An annoyed sigh left her mouth. She didn't like the way things happened. The Salvatore school cannot be rushed for now, it would be too striking. But tonight, management wants results.

Then, like a heavenly blessing, her phone rang. The name of Dr. Salvatore appeared on the screen. Mrs. Greasley picked it up immediately.

“I greet you, Elena!” she said into the phone.

“Me too, Mrs. Greasley. I got the message.” The woman's voice was measured and cool, as always.

“Did you make the decision?”

“Yes.”

“I'm glad to hear that.” Mrs. Greasley crossed her fingers.

"I will use my husband's blood for further experiments. But I had doubts about he will voluntarily provide the sample.”

This was an unexpected turn of events. If the antidote is removed from the ex-vampire, the man will die within the deadline.

"Did you think through this well, Dr. Salvatore?"

“Yes. I may need a little more delay, but I will deliver the sample as soon as I get it.”

“All right, Dr. Salvatore. Good luck!”

“Thank you.”

Mrs. Greasley hung up. Although Elena made her decision in the end, it seemed that getting the antidote could run into unexpected obstacles. She didn't like surprises like that. She needs to take the necessary steps to make the plan a successful outcome.

She pulled out the phone again. She called the special unit via the speed dial.

“This is Mrs. Greasley!” 

“I'm listening, ma'am!” 

“Be prepared! The target is Dr. Elena Gilbert – Salvatore’s house. Bring cleaners! Wait for my order!” 

“Got it!” 

The call is ended. If Dr. Salvatore doesn’t show up in the lab for seven with the antidote, she will deploy the special unit. 

Elena didn't show up at the lab at seven in the evening. At eleven o'clock she entered through the door of the Whitmore University special department with four armed men on her side. She was holding a syringe in her pocket that contained Damon Salvatore's blood.

_5pm The Salvatore – Gilbert residence_

Elena looked around the bedroom with an expressionless face, arms folded. Next to the door stood two bags loaded with clothes and her most personal belongings. She wondered if she had managed to unpack all the important things.

She didn't want to bring a lot of stuff, only the most necessary ones. There was still some faint hope in her that the problems between her and her husband could be solved, but the more she thought about the two of them, she had to realize that it was only a matter of time before their marriage collapsed.

If she wanted to be completely honest with herself, then their relationship was all but unhappy. Damon was very right about something. This relationship was doomed to death from the beginning, and compared to that, it was pulled out for a long time. They were too blind and selfish to realize the two of them have no future. Sometimes they brought the worst out of each other. Elena only played a positive role in the lives of the brothers to the extent that she managed to get them closer together.

Though Damon tried to explain to her, not once, how toxic their relationship was, but Elena didn't want to acknowledge it. She was unable to let go of the man who finally gave her what she really longed for: Love that consumes her, passion and adventure, and even a little danger.

She didn't even think that the other might not really want that. She believed that their human lives would be the solution to all their problems. In comparison, their marriage brought to the surface things that none of them had wanted to face until then.

Elena always believed she could successfully handle human tragedies. When Bonnie's mom left her, they technically accommodated the little black girl. She helped her get over the hard times and they almost became sisters.

Then came Caroline, whose father turned out to be gay, and walked away from them with his boyfriend. It was Elena on whose shoulders Care could cry. She was also nursed by Matt when Kelly Donovan showed up and then left them again.

But in case with Damon she hit a wall. She couldn't help him. Elena expected their lives to be filled with happy, funny, passionate moments that they would be happy to tell their children and later grandchildren about. But as they spent more time together, there were fewer and fewer happy moments left, even funny ones, they rarely experienced, most often in the company of their old friends, and the passion soon disappeared from their relationship.

The worst part of it all was that she felt herself completely helpless. Damon's grief was deep and he could swing through it for a very long time. He bought a bar where he worked day and night, and more than once he came home drunk. After he began attending college too and cook school, he missed out less and fewer nights, but his visits to Mystic Falls did not stop, so they practically barely saw each other.

Then there were the man's nightmares. Many times he didn’t sleep nights because he didn’t dare close his eyes. Sometimes he couldn't even control his actions awake. Many times he had an outburst of anger and developed a kind of agoraphobia. Terrible events of different eras may have appeared up in his mind, and at other times he was alarmed, shouting the names of his victims.

Elena realized relatively quickly that Damon was suffering from PTSD as well as showing the classic symptoms of depression. When she mentioned this to him, the man laughed. Elena begged him to ask someone for help because it couldn’t go on like this in the long run.

And Damon listened to her. He gathered all his courage and called Bonnie. That's when the situation began to return to normal. Damon then called the witch every day. He said he hadn't done it so far because he didn't want to disrupt his best friend's trip around the world, but as it turned out that Bonnie could hear the man's voice as well as Damon's, they kept in touch.

The older Salvatore moved further and further away from Elena. Especially after the witch came home. Elena hates herself for this day, but she became so jealous of the relationship between the two good friends that she did one of the most disgusting things what a woman can do. When she felt that Damon was already half a foot out of their relationship, she stopped using contraception in despair.

They wanted a child, but Damon wanted to wait for everything to be arranged around them, then get married, and then the baby could come too. But the date of the wedding had not even been set, and not even the official girl request had been made.

Elena's plan worked. She became pregnant within weeks, and Damon responded as she expected. However, he had one stipulation: Move back to Mystic Falls because it is the home of all of them and the man wants to raise his child where he also grew up. Finally, Elena agreed, mainly because of her guilt.

She dreaded that she would not have a good mother for a child conceived by force. One day she went to Caroline to weep for her grief. She also betrayed the fact that she had already thought about the abortion. Then her relationship with the blonde vampire finally changed. Caroline was cold and dismissive with her for a while. After a while, they managed to discuss things, but nothing became the same as before.

When Stephanie was born, Elena was happy, but she didn’t give up her career. By then, it became clear to her that her friends no longer needed her. She had to cling to something if she didn’t want to feel herself completely redundant.

Yet she was the support of everyone until the Salvatore brothers and with them the supernatural drama appeared in her life. Nor was she really hanged by a series of tragedies, not even that she became a vampire and then a human again. What bothered her the most was that it turned out she didn’t even need. Moreover, it would make things much easier for the others if she didn’t even exist at all. No matter how hard she tried to be a part of the events and lend a helping hand, she had to realize that her friends had become much stronger than her and she was always the one who needed their help.  
Not only did Caroline cope with being a vampire, but she also helped Stefan to overcome his problems in the end. When she realized there was something going on between the two of them, she was simply inundated with envy and jealousy. Then she felt weak for the first time. Both Caroline and Stefan became stronger without her. Matt didn't need her anymore, Jeremy was on new paths too, and they wanted to leave her out of everything pretty slowly.  
Not to mention Bonnie. Damon and Bonnie, who saved the world together at the end of the day. The two of them have formed a great team since the beginning. Elena already knew then that there was some kind of special relationship between the two of them that would have been difficult to define. In vain did Damon try to prove otherwise, he did care for the witch, and Bonnie didn't hate him as much as she wanted.

And now she was aware of what had been racing through her head for a long time, which she never dared to utter, because in doing so she was trying to nullify the obvious fact that Damon and Bonnie were in love with each other. The two of them fit together perfectly. The kettle found it’s pot, they were only at the wrong time so far, in the wrong place. But now it seemed the cat finally got out of the bag.

Elena wiped a tear from her face. She was hurt by the loss, but even more hurt by the possibility that her best friend and her husband could be together. Sitting in the kitchen, she read her diaries, some of which she packed in her bag.

From here she could only go to one place; to Liam. She had called the man even earlier to see if she could sleep at him for a few days. The man readily said yes. Maybe he expects a good run or two, which Elena wouldn’t say no to either.

She looked at her watch. The display showed half past six, but Damon didn't want to come home yet. As she figured it out that, she heard the front door open and Alexa, the artificial intelligence controlling the house’s furnishings, greets Damon.

***

While Elena was waiting for Damon, Bonnie did exactly what Damon forbade her to do. It wasn’t as if she didn’t respect the man’s request (which sounded more like a command) but Bonnie knew that the “boss” sometimes tended to over-dramatize the situation. Damon was too careful because he didn't want to make the same mistakes he used to. Conversely, when it came to him having to stand in the cross-hairs, he went head to head against the wall.

As she learned from the shamans of the tribes along the Amazon, the Bennett witch meditated for a while. She shut out thoughts, emptied her mind, and let pure magic pervaded every single cell of her. For this ceremony, she chose Damon's room. In the spacious place she had the opportunity to arrange the ingredients properly.

She formed a circle with a radius of one and a half meters from twelve thick candles. She drew the circle with salt and poured water into two smaller bowls into which she placed her two hands. She opened one of the huge windows a crack and then began searching. She closed her eyes and lowered her mental wall. Suddenly she heard everyone, living and dead at the same time. The billions of voices rushed to her mind, but this time she was prepared for it. She was very focused on being able to shut them out.

The flames of the candles slammed high around Bonnie, the wind catching her hair, and the ground began to shake slightly beneath her. She almost lost control of her mind. The cacophony of sounds flooded her, but now she felt herself strong enough to turn them down. She focused first on the missing people. She recalled their faces, the shared memories of what it was like to be with them, to find them, to teach them.

Tears rolled down Bonnie's face as she realized how many of them had died. She felt the pain and the fear they had experienced in the Augustine Society lab. She tried to contact them, much like she used to do with Stefan at times, but the bond wasn't strong enough. She now knew what the others were going through, but she couldn't get any closer to the scene.

Bonnie's anger intensified. Her features hardened, her hands clenched into fists, and she began to look for the person who knew for sure where the lab was hidden. This time, she only needs to focus on one person.

It was easy to enter Elena's mind because the bond between them was strong enough to form a bridge between the two women's minds. The witch searched for memories. One by one, she excluded those she did not need. She didn't spend much time looking at them, but her determination almost shook with some flash. Eventually a sign appeared: three triangles, intertwined at their vertices. She had already seen this symbol somewhere, but could not figure out where it was so familiar.

An image of various modern medical devices appeared in her mind with this logo, then a name: Augustine Society, and then another: Whitmore University Special Research Department. Then a glass door with an inscription on it: Head of Research, underneath Dr. Elena Gilbert-Salvatore. Eventually she saw a cellar with five cells inside. A very familiar young man crouched in one. James Finnigan, aka Jimmy, is the ripper who nearly killed Damon. The school’s former student, who was mentored by the ex-vampire, is the boy who sees the older Salvatore as his brother and his ideal.

Bonnie's eyes popped open. Now she knew where the students were.

***

Damon found Elena sitting at the dining room table. She waited with an expressionless face, arms folded. Two well-loaded bags stood beside the table. According to them, she took what he told her seriously. Damon measured with a cold look the one he had once brought the stars from the sky to, but now he felt nothing but contempt and anger. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, and finally Damon broke the silence. He bit his lower lip, then shook his head resignedly.

"You know, at first I thought I messed up something again." He snorted mockingly. "But you screwed me again."

Elena didn't move, didn't let her hands down, just pulled herself even further.

“Oh! You sound like you're the innocent victim here,” Elena said sarcastically.

Damon's features hardened, but he didn't answer back. He waited for what she is getting at. Elena continued.

"You have your little secrets too, don't you? You could have hide from me your true feelings in a witchish way, so to speak.

Now it was a shame to deny anything. Damon knew exactly what Elena was thinking, but instead of feeling guilty, he just got even angrier.

“You have no right to hold me accountable!” He hissed into her face. He took a step toward Elena and pointed the index finger at her threateningly. "You lost that privilege when you decided to become someone else's bed warmer."

Elena raised her head. She was completely shocked. She raised her big brown eyes at Damon, who was still just staring at her coldly. He was not angry or nervous, just emotionless and dismissive.

“How do you know ...?”

She didn’t have a chance to finish the question because Damon immediately cut to her word.

“How do I know about Liam? From where I also learned that you are playing Operation with some vampires.” He pulled out a chair and sat down across from Elena. He leaned forward slightly so their eyes were aligned. “I'm just asking out of curiosity. Yet how long did they scream before one of their organs grew back?” Mocking and sarcasm dripped from his voice. “Did you measure the time? Let’s say if you took out your spleen, did they yell more than when you dug their eyes out?”

Elena could only yawn. Every single word of Damon penetrated her heart like a sharp dagger. Her hands began to tremble and tears welled up in her eyes.

“Did you find the diary?” She whispered barely audibly.

Damon nodded.

“Yes, darling, I found it. And I'm not the only one who reads it. By now, everyone who was kind to you realized that behind your icing look, you were a bitch that had deteriorated to its core.”

Elena was completely white. She was on the verge of collapse. She ran her palms over her long hair and tried to breathe evenly. It took little to get a panic attack. Her hands were now shaking non-stop and she was tormented by shortness of breath.

Meanwhile, Damon straightened up in his chair. He looked down at the woman he once adored without the slightest sign of pity or compassion. He no longer wanted anything from her but to tell him where she was holding the vampires.

“Where are they?” He asked the woman.

There was no temper in his voice, only coldness.

“I can't say this ... this.” Elena stammered.

“Don't test my patience!”

“Damon, I can't do this!”

The man stood up in a quick motion, then squatted in front of Elena, then grabbed the woman's chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.

"We can do this in two ways," Damon said in an ominously calm voice. "Or you'll tell yourself, and then I'll let you go free. Or - and I highly recommend that you choose the previous one - I take it out of you, but it will hurt.”

Damon grinned wickedly at her and Elena was scared. She hadn't seen that face in a long time. The elder Salvatore killed with cold blood. He tore out someone else’s heart just as he prepares his breakfast. With an emotionless, practiced, fast gesture.

She saw the same thing now. She was afraid of him at that moment. She had forgotten the memory of what it was like to be afraid of Damon. Her husband now looked at her like a predator on her prey, and Elena felt helpless in the other's growing grip. She didn't dare speak, she just swallowed hard.

“Please, Elena!” Damon's voice was urgent. "If you've ever loved me, if you've felt anything for me, tell me where our students are being held!"

She was genuinely surprised.

“I did not know!”

“What?”

Elena looked away.

“Oh!” Damon laughed coldly. "Weren't you told who you were torturing?"

“We don't know where the subjects come from.”

"Subjects," the word echoed in Damon's head. He frowned, his pupils narrowed, his hitherto expressionless face distorted with rage, and he no longer hold the woman's chin but grabbed her throat.

“Where. Are. Our students?!” He shouted the last word.

Then Elena's face turned into a painful grimace. She narrowed her eyes and yelled. This came as a surprise to the man who let her go, then stood up. She got to her head and crouched down.

“Stop it! Ahhh!”

Damon looked at him confused.

“It's in my brain!” Elena whimpered.

The elder Salvatore suddenly realized what could be the source of the trouble. He angrily picked up his phone and dialed Bonnie first, but as he expected, the witch didn't pick up the phone. He immediately called Caroline, who hung it up after two rings.

“Blondie! Look at Bonnie right away!”

“What happened?” Care asked. He could also hear the vampire moving in motion over the phone.

"If my guesses are good, he went over to Dark Phoenix again."

After a short pause, Caroline answered.

“I'll go right away and find her! I'll call you if there's a problem.”

Damon almost broke the line, but then the Fluffy shouted.

“Wait!”

“What?”

“There is a problem!”

“Care spit it out at last!”

“Stefan's grave was broken.”

An angry hiss left Damon's mouth.

“Damn it! Tell Donovan to step on the Travelers urgently. No matter how, but find them!” He looked down at Elena, who was still suffering. “I have to do this, but I'll go to school afterwards.”

"All right," Caroline acknowledged, then they both hung up.

The woman's hunched in front of him seemed to slowly begin to ease, but then Elena got to her head again and yelled. Damon squatted down in front of her, peeling her hair out of her face, and began to talk to her softly.

“Don't fight against her! Let Bonnie do her thing, and it won't hurt!

Elena was shocked.  
“Are you protecting her?” She seemed to be trying to suppress the pain. "I'm suffering, but you're protecting her!" She shouted now.

Damon grinned wickedly, then leaned over her ear.

"Yes," he whispered. "I will protect Bonnie always and forever." He wanted to hurt Elena, so he decided to be as sincere as possible to her. "I lied to you," he said, stroking her face gently. “I don't love you, Elena. Not for a long time. Bonnie is the one I love more than I ever loved you. And if I have to decide which of you to die for, I’ll always choose Bonnie.

Then something flew through the window, accompanied by a loud clatter of glass. Damon didn't have a chance to escape. The smoke grenade explodes a few inches from his feet. Through his teary eyes, he could barely see what was happening, all he could sense was the rumbling noise of steel-lined boots filling the room. He saw black uniforms trampling down the house. Two men got Elena to her feet and handed her something, but Damon couldn't figure out what it was. He was still lying on the ground. He allowed one of the gunmen to step closer to him, then grabbed his calf and yanked him to the floor with pure force. He then quickly jumped up, he hit on his stomach lying on the ground with his sole, and snatched the gun from his hand.

His companions were just beginning to react. Damon was nimble. When they wanted to attack, he grabbed the confiscated submachine gun like a baseball bat and cut the nearest uniform at the tip of his chin, then hit the one behind him with the same momentum on his stomach.

He paused for a moment to assess the situation. Six broke into the house, but their target was not. The woman was obscured by two armed men who wanted to protect her rather than attack. He was also sure they didn't want to kill him because he would be dead a long time ago.

The weapon was secured in Damon's hand, so when one of the intruders aimed it, he fired immediately. The heavy rifle kicked back, causing him to lose his balance a bit, but he didn't take his eyes off his attackers and quickly started a counterattack. He cut one at the chin, then turned the gun around in a quick motion and fired another at the foot. This time he didn't want to fall, but suddenly there was a sharp pain in the back of his neck, and then everything darkened as he fell to the living room floor.

When he regained consciousness, Elena knelt beside him. He saw at least three of the woman stabbing some cold, pointed object in his arm: a needle. Damon felt his blood sucked. He tried to stop, to sit up, but he was so dizzy and so nauseous that with each small movement he thought he would faint again.

Elena pulled the needle out of him, then stroked his face.

“I'm so sorry.” She cried. “That's not the way how I wanted to be.”

Damon heard the sound of receding footsteps, then a deafening roar, then the pain that devoured everything. He was shot.

***

When Bonnie saw Damon, terrible fear overcame her. Enzo finally reached her, and the witch hurried to the house immediately. She thought she was prepared for the worst, but she was wrong. That’s how seeing the man she loves most of all almost took her mind. She forced herself not to panic. She knew if Damon died, she would go after him. She could no longer bear this loss.

She quickly knelt beside the man, feeling his pulse, expecting the worst, but she could feel the other's heart, even if faintly, throbbing. She didn't even notice the tears streaming down her face unstoppably. She focused on how she could save Damon. She searched for the site of the injury, then relieved the man's pain with a spell, and the bleeding also seemed to subside. Then she held the other's face in her two palms.

“Damon, wake up! You hear me, Old Man! Wake up!” Bonnie almost begged. “You can't die! Not yet. I have so much more to say. Don't you dare die!”  
She tried desperately to bring the man to her. She was terrified, her whole body shaking with a soft sob. She couldn't imagine her future without Damon, since she didn't even remember what it was like when she didn't know him yet.

“You can't leave here!” She shouted, then slapped him. “Wake up! Please wake up!”

Then Damon began to open his eyes slowly.

“Bon-Bon?” His voice was hoarse and barely audible.

A sigh of relief broke from the witch.

"You can't sleep now, Old Man! Did you understand?”

"Bonnie," Damon moaned.

“This is it! Speak! I have to figure something out.”

Bonnie was still holding his head, but in the meantime she was scanning the place with her eyes.

“Bon, I have to ... - It was very difficult for the man to speak. “I have to tell you ...”

“Okay! We have to figure something out! I have to go for some things.”

“No!” The man's voice sounded louder this time.

Damon tried to smile.

“Do not go away!” He had a hard time forming words, but in the end he managed to speak. 

“I'm going to die, Bon-Bon.

“Do not tell me this!” Bonnie looked Damon sternly. “Don't you dare give up!”

"I should have died 160 years ago."

Bonnie swallowed a burst of sobs, but her tears still popped out and ran down the face in thick streaks.

“Bon, I have to say something before I leave.”

“No! If you get better, you'll tell me. We're going to talk about a lot, I promise. But you have to stay alive!”

Bonnie's brain was spinning fast now. She wanted to call the ambulance first, but she dismissed it almost immediately. That would be too much risk. It would probably soon turn out that Damon isn’t exactly as old as he says he is. Then Caroline came to her mind. The blonde vampire's blood might help, but she was afraid she wouldn't get here on time, plus she would have to gather a lot of things for the spell.

She leaned forward slightly to see the condition of the ex-vampire's injury. The bleeding was completely stopped, but Bonnie didn’t notice an output wound, which means the bullet may still be in the man’s body. She straightened up and looked at Damon's face again, who seemed to be unconscious again. Then she could feel the pendant hanging from her necklace hitting her chest. She looked down at the little vial that contained Enzo's blood and knew immediately what to do. A lot of things need for the spell, unless ...

She grabbed Damon's face and began to speak firmly.

“Come on, Old Man! I need to know something! Come on!”

She shook the man slightly, who finally opened his eyes again.

“This is it!”

“Bon, I ...”

"You'll tell me later, but focus now! Did those who did this to you leave the cure in you?”

Damon tried to recall what had happened with a pain-distorted face, then shook his head in denial.

"Good," Bonnie nodded, immediately tearing the chain off her neck, then took the blood-filled vial out of the pendant in a quick motion. She then hold up the small vial in front of Damon's face. “This is Enzo's blood. You have to drink!”

The man suddenly grabbed her hand.

“Bonnie, if that doesn't work out ...”

“But it will!”

"If it don't ..." Damon's voice trailed off. “If I die, I want you to know I love you.”

"I know, Old Man," Bonnie smiled. “I love you too.”

“No. You don’t understand! I lied.”

“Damon, please! This can be wait! And I promise we'll discuss everything, but you have to drink this now!”

Bonnie opened the vial and lifted it to Damon's mouth. The ex-vampire sipped Lorenzo St. John's last drop of blood slowly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huh! Okey, that was it. One of my favourites, i guess. I loved to write it. And im dying to know what you think about it.   
> One thing, i dont know it is necessary to mention, but i have to tell that im not against the abortion. My opinion is that thing is absolutely the woman's thing. I am with the mothers. Its not other men's buisnes that a woman can bear a child or not, especially havent the Churches. But i wrote that for the story. Some topic maybe hard to discuss, but i thought this is important to say my stand.   
> And about Elena. Do you remember my warning? This is a really anti-Elena fiction. She getting to fell deeper and deeper into the rabbit's hole. Will somebody who can appologize for her? Does she deserve the forgiveness? We will figure it out if you will read further the story:) And what will happen with Damon, after he drank Enzo's lood?   
> Please comment or live a Kudos, or send a mail owl, or send me fuming sign, or wathever, just let me know if you liked it. :) Have a nice read:)


	14. The breaking point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God! I have waited for so long that write this chapter. I hope you will enjoy! I wanna add some videos to this chapter, just for the better imagining. You will understand. So many things happen in this. You will get to know four women. They are special. I hid some easter eggs, and put hints about them. If you listen to them you will figure out who they are. We start in long long ago, and we getting closer to the present. I am a huge nerd so intresting things will happen. 
> 
> I loved to write this chapter and i am very curious. That's why i beg you now for your comments. I wanna know how it's working for you. I hope well:) But all above have a good time when you reading:)) 
> 
> And here is the videos: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pkh8UtuejGw (The Senorita from Shawn Mendes and Camilla )
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lAKlYTQVKY  
> (And the argentin tango as I imagined)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
> 
> And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the Spirit of God was upon the face of the waters.
> 
> And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
> 
> And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
> 
> And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night: and the evening and the morning were the first day.
> 
> And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
> 
> And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
> 
> And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
> 
> And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
> 
> And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
> 
> And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
> 
> And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
> 
> And the evening and the morning were the third day.
> 
> And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:  
> And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
> 
> And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
> 
> And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,  
> And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.  
> And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
> 
> And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
> 
> And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
> 
> And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.  
> And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
> 
> And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
> 
> And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
> 
> And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
> 
> So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
> 
> And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
> 
> And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
> 
> And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
> 
> And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
> 
> /Genesis/

Chapter 13

**The breaking point**

About 14 billion years ago, the materials that make up the universe condensed to a tiny point. The pressure was unbearable and the material exploded. That was the Big Bang. In a fraction of a second, the material forming was scattered throughout the universe, creating first galaxies and then solar systems. Space and time were created at the moment of the explosion. It took another 10 billion years for the rubble to form planets at the apex of a spiral galaxy, around a bright star, and for the one planet to be born, on which life was finally created by the interplay of proper conditions and coincidences. At least that's what scientists say.

But there are things, or rather a lot of things, that scientists have no idea about yet. For example, that there is a species that exists outside space and time. They are immortal, and they have already forgotten how they came into being. They are driven by the curiosity of cognition, the joy of discovery, the beauty of experience. Individuals of the species manipulate space, time, and matter to their liking. They have no name. They don't even need it. They are born in infinity, and their destiny is lost to infinity. They are eternal beings for whom the universe is just a playground. Where they form, where they destroy. They break out wars between peaceful races or just create new races, as one of them did. This species is called humanity.

It was a bumpy road to man’s creation, but after so many failed attempts and unforeseen consequences, the perfect race was finally born. First, two copies were created: Lilith and Adam. They were created the way everything else is alive; in pairs. A man and a woman. At first, everything went well, as planned. They lived in harmony with the world around them, respected each other and accepted their differences. But the woman evolved. She became equal to all living things in the Garden and considered herself equal to her mate. When her creator told her to bow to the man’s will and obey her, Lilith didn’t understand why she should do that. Thus, she resisted the will of her God, who, in disobedience, exiled the woman from the Paradise. Lilith took nothing but an onyx stone from which she later made a ring for herself.

However, not everyone thought Lilith deserved her punishment. The creator and his partner created the angels together. The brightest and most proud of all was Samael. His father forced them to bow before his creation, to their knees before the man. But Samael refused. So he was exiled from Silver City and tasked with punishing those whose souls are not pure because they are full of dark intentions and their lives are dark deeds, so the torment of guilt will accompany them forever. This is how the brightest angel became the devil himself.

Lucifer received Lilith, who gave him an army. She gave birth to demons, soulless beings whose only meaning of existence is to serve the lord of hell. For this deed, Lucifer felt he would owe her forever. Therefore, a little over two thousand years ago, he learned that someone was dismantling his father’s mercy on behalf of Lilith, and in addition, she had created a self-image, given the opportunity. Hiding behind another face, Lilith was able to roam the world freely. While they think it looks different, no one will recognize her. Only one person knew what Lilith really looked like outside of Lucifer: his father. So he made a deal. God does not interfere in the affairs of supernatural beings, but in return Lucifer remains in hell forever. The devil kept this from time to time. Just as his father only occasionally fulfilled his share of the bargain.

***

_2000 years ago_

Castillus finally found Quetsiyah in the woods. She sat on a fallen tree trunk and sobbed bitterly. She was still wearing her wedding dress, and the half-angel saw her beautiful even when she was broken. He didn't understand how he could have been so blind so far.

Amara looked like an extraterrestrial beauty; he was attracted to her like a magnet. Already on their first meeting, when Quetsiyah introduced her new servant, he fell madly in love with the girl. That caused the problem. Castillus was wise, so he was elected the leader of the Travelers. Despite his young age, he had already experienced many things and knew well where his angelic power came from. Even though he was in love with Amara, he felt from the beginning that something was very wrong with her, but he was often unable to think clearly near the young maiden.

There was news in the coven that there was a mysterious woman who knew the path to immortality and true strength. She always walked with a covered face between them and had already persuaded many to join her. But Castillus considered her teachings extremely dangerous. He knew that turning against his grandfather's will was not exactly worth it. Their job was to maintain the balance of nature, not to break its laws. When he talked to Amara about these things, she seemed to want to get him to do something that would be a violation of the rules: make them drink the immortality, because that way they could stay together forever. Castillus resisted for a long time, but in the end Silus came up with the same.

His half-brother was just courting Quetsiyah, and as the lightning struck from the sky, he wanted to marry her, voicing that they would be together forever. Castillus was overwhelmed by a very restless feeling. He didn’t like his brother with his best friend at all. He didn't understand what was swirling in him then, but now he is. He was jealous because he didn't really love Amara, and when he realized that, the enchantment surrounding the girl was broken. He began to look at the servant differently. It was as if she had worn a mask that had fallen off her. Castillus began to see himself as she really was: selfish, petty, and manipulative. Then he realized that she had seduced Silus as well. Then something whispered to him that the appearance of the mysterious stranger and the betrayal of his brother were somehow connected. He realized that they needed the magic of immortality and intended it for only the two of them. This could put the whole coven in great danger. He felt stupid for helping him make the potion.

Castillus approached his friend softly, in slow strides. His footsteps made little noise on the soft ground. He crouched down in front of her and swept the beautiful, dark shower of hair out of her face. Quetsiyah's dark green eyes were now red from crying, her face a little puffy, but even that couldn't hide her beauty. The half-angel gently stroked her face, but instead of reassuring the witch, it only made her even more nervous.

“Get out of my sight!” Quetsiyah said angrily. “I don't want to see you again.” Her voice was full of hatred.

Castillus froze. He didn't think the woman's anger would be so strong, though he knew that Quetsiyah could be completely captivating at times.

"Believe me, I didn't know about it," he whispered softly.

He looked at his friend repentantly and tried to touch her face again, but the other pushed his hand away.

“You and your brother just played with me. You both exploited and betrayed me.” The witch was full of anger and bitterness. “You both wanted her. I am sure you have had a good laugh behind my back.”

Castillus felt terrible himself, but he wouldn't let Quetsiyah push him away. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her close. Their faces came so close together that the tip of their noses touched. Now the half-angel would have preferred to kiss her. He wanted to let her know that she was not alone, he was standing by her, no matter what happened, Castillus would always be her support.

Quetsiyah looked at him brokenly. She was no longer angry, just terribly sad. She stared at the man's beautifully lit blue eyes for a moment, then gave up her resistance and buried her head in the other's chest. Castillus began stroking her back softly as he drilled his face into her long, dark brown hair. 

“They pay for it. I promise we will take revenge on them.”

But revenge made backwards. The cure was made from the blood of Castillus, and the Other Side was created. The half-angel's grandfather was so enraged at this that he struck the Travelers with an eternal curse. The mysterious stranger was seen only once by Castillus. She looked exactly like Amara, but there was something about her that made her look more like a demon. She was tempting, but also dangerous. Her speech sounded sweet, but every word of her was poisonous to a man. Castillus remembered of her a snake.

The woman visited him at his house after Quetsiyah ended with Silus. The witch was tormented by terrible guilt, so she was with her friend. When the mysterious woman approached them, they were both shocked. There was anger in the woman's eyes, and a thunder gave mean her every word.

“You took it from me, which is mine! So let eternal suffering come to you! I will curse you, and your descendants will suffer.”

“Who are you?”

The answer to Quetsiyah's question was a devilish laugh.

“Haven't you heard of me yet? I am Lilith, the ancient witch who brings chaos to the world. You will experience suffering again and again!”

With that, the woman turned on her heel and disappeared. Castillus then turned to his father. He wasn't sure if the devil would help him, but Lucifer didn't deny his request. He did for his son and Lilith what he had done neither before nor after; he lied.

***

_1838\. Kingdom of Sicily_

Lily Salvatore was a godly woman. She prayed regularly, went to church every Sunday, and confessed her sins when she had to. She received the body of Christ with a pure soul at each sacrificial liturgy. She tried to live a pure, Christian life as humanly as possible. She honored her husband, knew the scriptures, and kept the Ten Commandments.

She married as a virgin as she should. The man she had fallen in love with from the first moment she saw him, was passionate, adventurous, full of desire for action, and with anger that she did not understand. Lily kept looking away as Guiseppe leaned down his throat with a glass or two more than was necessary, and didn't even talk when he was tied up with strangers for no reason or just those he was drinking with. She secretly hoped that her fiancé would change so that their love would be enough to get through the problems.

In addition, Guiseppe has always treated her like a gentleman. By then, the Salvatore family was highly respected on the island. They lived in a good way, were considered nobles, had vast land holdings, and the income from logging only increased the wealth and influence of the family. Getting married in such a place was heaven itself. Fortunately, young Count Salvatore caught the eye of young Lillian Marie Costa. He only courted the girl for a few months before formally asking for her hand. Her parents immediately agreed to the marriage, and although the Salvatore couple were not very enthusiastic about getting married so low in the rank when they met, they eventually liked the girl.

On the wedding day, a bird could have been caught with Lily. Her clear blue eyes shone like crystals of happiness, she smiled all day and did not let go of her husband for a moment; he was happy. This lasted until they were slept together at the first time. Giuseppe was rough and fast. Lily was still in pain a few days later, and she thought she wouldn't want to be with the man again for a while. But a heir to the throne had to be given to the family, preferably a boy who would carry the name on.

They had been trying for two years to get Lily pregnant without any results. Yet her husband had a great appetite, and she never refused his approach. Still, she couldn't catch it. That's why she sat in the church now. Her beautiful auburn hair was held in a loose bun on her head, from which thick, curled curls hung over her shoulders. She raised her long, oval face on the cross hanging above the altar and prayed with tears to the good god to bless her with a child.

She was very surprised when an elderly priest dressed in black reverend suddenly sat down next to her. Lily whimpered softly and looked at the man. The old priest's hair was gray, and there was a wide smile on his short, rounded face, but there was something in his watery blue eyes that made up the hair on Lily's back and she wanted to run away immediately. When he spoke, his voice was creepily sweet.

„Benvenuto, Signora Salvatore!” ( _Greetings, Mrs Salvatore!_ )

Lily looked at him in amazement.

„Come fai a sapere chi sono?” ( _How do you know who I am?_ )

The priest continued to smile, but his eyes remained cold.

„Un buon prete conosce i nomi dei suoi seguaci.” ( _A good priest knows the names of his followers._ )  
Lily swallowed hard.

„Vado in questa chiesa da quando ero piccola, ma non ti ho mai visto qui.” ( _I've been going to this church since I was little, but I've never seen you here._ )

The priest chuckled.

“Diciamo solo che l'hanno messo qui.” ( _Let's just say they put me here._ ) The priest now looked her in the eye seriously. “Ho sentito delle tue preoccupazioni. Ma non temere, il Signore ascolterà coloro che si rivolgono a lui con cuore puro.” ( _I've heard about your concerns. But fear not, the Lord will listen to those who turn to him with a pure heart._ ) 

Lily's mouth went dry. Trembling ran all over her body. She didn't know why she was afraid, but she didn't like the man sitting opposite her, who was still just smiling. She clasped her hands together, trying to somehow force her to calm down. The priest looked down at them and his expression changed. His eyes lit up, the watery gaze disappeared, only clear, almost translucently shining irises visible. Deliciously grabbed Lily's hands, who were no longer trembling. She looked at his lovely face with reverence and felt some kind of inexplicable admiration. The priest then slid his other hand over the woman's belly, then spoke in a kind, soft voice.

“Andare a casa! Dormi con tuo marito stanotte! Darà anche la vita ai tuoi due ragazzi! Insegna loro cos'è l'amore.” ( _Go home! Sleep with your husband tonight! It will even give life to your two boys! Teach them what love is._ )

Lily just yawned and tears welled up in her eyes. She believed every word of the priest, but could not tell why. When the man stood up, he bowed his head in goodbye, but before leaving the church, he turned back to Lily.

“Sei speciale Lily, non dimenticarlo mai! Qualunque cosa accada in futuro, non smettere mai di amare i tuoi figli!” ( _You are special Lily, never forget that! Whatever happens in the future, never stop loving your children!_ )

That night Lillian Salvatore did as the priest said. Guiseppe was surprisingly gentle and attentive that night. Nine months later, she gave birth to a strong, healthy boy, whom he named Damon, and then, as the priest said, in 1846 she gave birth to another boy. He was named Stefan.

***

Sheila Bennett was a smart woman. She knew the nature of the forces that ruled the world, and she knew exactly that her granddaughter was destined for great things, just as she was aware that the Salvatores' return to the city was of no good. She knew what the older brother had undertaken as Sheila listened to her ancestors. But she also knew that Damon posed at least as much danger to everyone as the benefit of protecting this bloodline. He did not ally with the Bennetts and only defended them until he was certain that there would be one to carry the bloodline.

She didn't have much confidence in the vampire, nor was she completely convinced of his younger brother. She was also angry with the Gilbert girl with a pure heart. Shiela was not blind at all. She knew what they were doing at Whitmore and what experiments Greyson was secretly conducting. But she thought it was safer for everyone not to dive into it. Elena was foolish to start dating a vampire right now, not caring how much she was endangering Bonnie.

But somewhere she made a mistake. She was always careful. She placed just as much burden on her granddaughter's shoulder as she could bear. The poor little girl had already suffered so much, and Sheila was proud that, despite all the blows she had suffered, Bonnie was able to smile every day and walk around the city with her head held high. But now that she had revealed to her what she really was, she put her in danger. The older Salvatore was now constantly lurking around her, and there was something about it that the old witch didn't really like.

By the time the vampire appeared on her porch and was looking for Bonnie, she already knew there was a lot of trouble. She could feel the bond between the two of them, but she couldn't tell if it was dangerous or more desirable. For so many decades, the older Salvatore didn’t look at them either, but even then, one of the two Salvatores was always present in the lives of the Bennett witches, and it didn’t always go well. Witches still do better not to get involved in the vampires’ thing because they will always pull the shorter one. Their power is finite, and unlike bloodsuckers, they are not immortal.

Now, though, she was here, kneeling in front of his granddaughter, trying to figure out if she to let those two brothers inside rot, desiccate, or help them, risking her dying. But Bonnie chose instead. Or this was not entirely true. Elena begged. That stupid girl had no idea what she was doing or what Bonnie had involved. She was just one of many doppelgangers who destroy everything around them.

Sheila watched her granddaughter as she struggled to break the spell that held in the tomb the vampires. Bonnie wasn't ready for that yet, she wasn't strong enough yet, but she was persistent and so confident. Sheila could have stopped, pulled her out of here, but she didn't. She had to make a decision quickly. So she grabbed Bonnie's arm and hoped the bond between the vampire and the witch would be strong enough to save her granddaughter if she won’t exist anymore. 

And Sheila wasn't wrong. Damon Salvatore was always standing behind or right next to her granddaughter. When Bonnie died and her soul moved to the Other Side, Sheila saw how much the older Salvatore had done to bring her back to life. No matter what Damon told himself, he only did it for Bonnie. When the Other Side collapsed, Sheila knew where to send Bonnie and happily acknowledged that her granddaughter would not be alone. She knew the two of them would find their way home together.

In the safety of the peace of Silver City, Sheila was finally able to calm down. She was sure that as long as Damon stayed with Bonnie, her granddaughter would be protected. As she looked down at them now, she was also sure that the time would come soon and that Bonnie could finally fulfill her destiny. The destiny for which she was created.

***

The pain began to subside, but his head was still ripped. Enzo's blood felt bitter in his mouth, but he felt it work. Life returned to his limbs, and the burning sensation in his belly was completely gone. He was healed. This was extremely good news, with unexpected consequences also.

He hadn't opened his eyes yet. He let the vampire blood do the thing, and he had to rethink what had happened to him in the last half hour or so. They broke into his house, knocked him down, Elena (now a manipulative bitch number two) sucked the cure out of him, then he was shot. Then Bonnie came and saved her. Bonnie Bennett. It was a hair's breadth that he wasn't dead, and his last thoughts revolved only around the witch. What an irony that he was saved by the blood of the very person whose death he actually wished for. Well, not quiet, but the disappearance from the face of the Earth was in the plan at the time. Before he became puppet of the siren, he thought the Enzo-Bonnie relationship wouldn’t have much of a future, mainly because he appeared on the stage. He would have tied the witch until she gave up, but then he still cared too much about Elena, and that caused his loss.

Now, however, he must tell how he feels about Bonnie. Life is too short to continue holding back his feelings inside of him. (Looking back at Alaric and Caroline's remarks, things didn't go as well as she thought.) As he remembered, he realized that life had literally become short for him. Without the cure, he will soon start to age, then within a tight deadline his organization will give up the fight and Damon Salvatore will die. Unless…

Damon opened his eyes. Bonnie was still kneeling in front of him, her eyes floating in tears, her mouth trembling, and her face betraying deep concern. The man cleared his throat. It felt a little dry.

“I think it worked.”

He tried to sit up, but then a very unexpected thing hit him. Bonnie, who had been sitting almost frozen so far, threw herself around his neck in a quick motion. She hugged him so tightly that it almost hurt. After the momentary shock, Damon immediately wrapped his arms around the witch, buried his face in the silky curls, and inhaled the scent that was the sweetest for him.

At first, he didn't even notice what he was doing. He gently pulled the wavy curls away from the graceful neck, then softly kissed Bonnie's caramel-colored skin, then again and again until he reached her earlobes with his mouth. He ran his lips softly through it. It was then that he felt the woman in his arms tremble. The witch's grip began to ease, and her hands slowly reached Damon's neck.

This could no longer be called an accident. The ecstasy of survival, and being able to hold Bonnie in his arms, was just enough for Damon to lose control of his body. He sprinkled her face full of tiny kisses after her ears, and then their lips met. This time they kissed each other long, slowly. Their lips moved in perfect harmony and they both felt like they were melting in the other.

When they parted, they just gasped for seconds, then Damon looked deep into her eyes and just smiled at her contentedly. In contrast, a whole cavalcade of emotions raced through on Bonnie. Her brain could not find a proper explanation for what had just happened, though one of them should speak soon. They just stared at each other as the witch tried to gather her thoughts and sober up a little. The kiss made her intoxicated. But not only that. The fact that the man had survived, the struggle of the whole last year, Elena’s betrayal, and the fact that she had wanted to kiss Damon ever since she had just seen him, had broken her at once now. She couldn't fight anymore. She reached her limits and the consequences no longer mattered. Damon Salvatore is her truly desire who seems to desire her at least as much as she longs for the man.

She could be lying to herself by saying she haven’t noticed this at all so far. She could tell how surprised she was at Damon kissing her. But that would not be true. She could also say to herself that the man had always loved Elena more than her, but that too would be just a lie. The truth is, they were both cowards. Elena was a defensive wall between them, as was Enzo. They had hurt each other too much in the past and feared that these grievances would not disappear without a trace. Had there been a real, romantic relationship between them, they would have been able to hurt each other much more deeply, and none of them dared to give chance to it.  
Damon's former words never sounded sharper in her ears than they did now as she looked into the sea- blue eyes.

_‘Dear Bonnie,_

_I should be saying this to your face, not writing this letter. But I know if I do, you’d talk me out of running away all of my problems. You’re gonna make me face a future without Elena and you’re gonna help make me the best man I can possibly be. The same way she did. And I’m absolutely terrified of failing you both. So I’m leaving. Because I’d rather let you down once… than let you down for your rest of your life. And I hope it’s the happiest life. Because you, Bonnie Bennett are an amazing woman, a mediocre crossword puzzle player and my best friend.  
With great love and respect,_

_Damon’_

The letter the man wrote to her when he chose to desiccate. Bonnie never read it, but Damon memorized every single word and told her after he was brought back from the hell. At that moment, she knew the man loved her, at least as much as he loved Elena, but for her then Enzo was there. Maybe if they had had more time then, maybe if their lives hadn’t been just an endless struggle, if Enzo hadn’t died, or Elena hadn’t woken up, they might have had a chance. But fate had something else in store for them.

Luckily, Damon found his voice sooner than Bonnie. The man grabbed the witch's face in his two palms and touched their foreheads.

"I'll tell you everything, I swear to you, Bon." Damon kissed her forehead before the witch closed her eyes. "We have a lot to talk about, but you have to do something first!"

Bonnie frowned. She didn't really expect that. Maybe a confession of love, or even more a penitential, puppy look (in which Damon was the best when it came to Bonnie), or a hesitation, but not to ask for something and behave so calmly while Bonnie was all over her body. She trembled. She looked at Damon with a confused face mixed with curiosity and tilted her head slightly to the side.

Damon now scanned Bonnie's face very seriously and then said it.  
“Kill me!” So easy way

“What?” Bonnie's voice sounded an octave higher than usual.

She immediately stood up and folded her arms, while Damon got up too.

“I said seriously. Kill me! Until it's too late.”

Bonnie started walking up and down the living room. Barely five minutes later, the man was still dying, then kissed her half a minute ago, and now he was asking her to kill him. Somehow she didn't see the point. He must have hit his head hard.

“Look, Bon-Bon!” The witch stopped. “I don’t have much time. Enzo's blood will be drained soon…”

"No," Bonnie interrupted firmly. She took two steps in front of the man and almost poked his eyes with her index finger. “No! You can't do that!”

"Bonnie, if I don't, I'll die soon. Elena sucked the cure out of me, and if we take Kitty Kate as a basis, it won’t take much time to take me a heart attack as a gray, old man.”

Bonnie's head growled. Elena was who sucked the cure out of him, even though she knew it sentencing Damon to death. She just stood there frozen, trying to digest what she heard.

"Do you want me to be the one to push you into the dark again?" Bonnie ran nervously into her hair as Damon stared at her expressionlessly. "Well, I remember the one who last made you turn, you promised eternal suffering for him, and we both know how seriously you take your promises."

Damon grabbed Bonnie's wrist and pulled the witch's hand to his chest.

"It's gonna be different this time," he said confidently. “Now I choose. I couldn’t decide to be a vampire, nor could I decide when to become human. This time I wanna decide.” Damon looked at Bonnie with a desperate face. ‘I don’t wanna die. I want to see my daughter grow up. For God's sake, Bonnie, I wanna take you on a date, I want to tell you everything I haven't dared so far, but if I stay in this state, I'll have at most as much opportunity to write a farewell letter to everyone until my hand doesn’t shake.”

Bonnie couldn't help but smile.

“Seriously, Damon. A date?”

The man pulled his lips to a mischievous smile.

"If that's all you got from the previous monologue, then I think I'll start with a pretty good chance. I wasn’t sure. You know, a divorced parent with a troubled child. It is difficult these days to find a suitable companion with these conditions.”

Bonnie snorted.  
“Bob-Bon!” Damon's voice sounded very soft now. “You have to do it! You have to trust me!” Bonnie looked up at him thoughtfully. "Unless it's a problem to be a vampire again and draw the wrath of all the existing Bennett witches? Both the living and the dead.”

The witch shook her head firmly.

“No! There’s no such thing! Whether you are a vampire or a human, you will remain Damon Salvatore, my best friend.” Damon's mouth, which had been moving firmly upwards until now, was now drooping. “For now, and we'll see.”

Bonnie took a deep breath and stroked Damon's face.

“I just don't want you to suffer. Being a vampire isn’t exactly a giddy and hurray. You have to fight your blood thirst again, your heightened emotions, the possibility that you can hurt others again.”

Damon raised Bonnie's fingers to his mouth with his eyes closed and kissed them hard.

“It will be okey!” He said firmly. "You're here for me, Caroline, and don't forget Stephanie. I will endure it because of her and you.”

Bonnie nodded. She slowly took a step back, then another. She closed her eyes and lost in her thoughts for a few seconds. She thought it over, too. If she wants the man to survive, she has to kill him. Right now. Enzo's blood won't be in him for long. All she had to do now was hope that it couldn’t only heal Damon, but also can turn him.

“Lie on the couch!” Bonnie instructed Damon.

The man nodded and leaned back on the couch.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely sure.” Damon looked at Bonnie. “Look the bright side, Bon-Bon! You could torture me with your aneurysm trick again,” he wiggled.

Bonnie just rolled her eyes, but she also let out a faint smile. She bit her lower lip and raised her right hand in front of her. She took a deep breath and then for the last time wanted to make sure they were making a really good decision with this.

“Are you ready?”

Damon looked at him now with a serious face.

“Absolutely!” There was a definite answer. “Hey, Bonnie! Everything will be fine!”

The elder Salvatore closed his eyes, waiting for the redemptive death while the witch swung forward her outstretched arm, curled her fingers, and twisted her wrist before the man's neck broke with a painful crack.

Damon Salvatore lost his life on June 16, 2024, at half past nine in his living room, on his couch, to win another one.

***

Tortured by a terrible nightmare, Stephanie tossed in her bed. She squeezed Mrs. Cuddles with an iron fist, but that didn't help either. She just whimpered, sweating, the blanket wrapped completely around her body. She saw her Dad die. Little Steph stood on a clearing in the middle of a vast, dark forest. The sun only shone through the clearing, the trees around it surrounded by dark clouds.

The green grass of the clearing floated in blood, and her Dad stood in the middle. His dress, his hands, his face were all covered in blood and he smiled at her. As usual. But his face was different. Distorted, scary. The area around his eyes was drawn around by black blood vessels, while his always brightly blue irises now flashed red. As her Dad's smile widened, long teeth emerged from his mouth. Stephanie wanted to scream, but her throat tightened. Her larynx, like dry parchment, pressed against her vocal cords and she just ran for a moan.

Someone stroked her face. The touch was both familiar and foreign. When she opened her eyes, she first thought she could see her father's eyes. Two beautifully bright, light blue orbs looked at her. Then she noticed that it belonged to an aunt. Stephanie had never seen anything more beautiful than her. Suddenly she thought a fairy had come to visit her, or rather, an angel.

The aunt's hair was ebony, collapsed on the blanket like a black cloak, her skin gleaming olive brown in the faint light that filtered through the windows, and her mouth twitched into a very familiar smile. She stroked the little girl's hair with her long, thin fingers as she spoke, her voice ringing cleanly, softly like silk.

“Calm down, Steph!”

And Stephanie calmed down. She knew her from somewhere, but the memory was too far away for her to recall from where. The woman has now changed her position. Suddenly she straightened up and then jumped out of the bed with a swinging motion.

When Steph was not sleeping with the twins, she was housed in a smaller room that opened from his father's bedroom. It was much more modest in size than the other rooms in the school. Aunt Caroline painted it pale purple and decorated it with all sorts of girly things. The walls were lined with images of Disney princesses, with Elsa, the ice queen, taking most of the seats. (Stephanie loved all parts of the Frozen.) Under the window in the room stood a white desk with scattered papers lying on it; predominantly drawings, paintings, other creative works. Above the little girl's bed, her father installed a shelf. It was already pale pink. This was lined with Stephanie's treasures. A Masha figure, a magical snow globe for her birthday, Skye from the Paw Patrol, a Minion from Gru, Toothless, the Dragon, and of course Princess Anna and Queen Elsa from the Frozen. In the middle of the shelf, surrounded by toys, was a picture. Stephanie loved looking at this photo. They rarely went on a trip together with the twins, but this was once their parents got it. In the photo, everyone was on it who Steph loved. Aunt Bonnie squatted next to Stephanie, the twins standing directly to the little girl's right. The other parents, hugging each other's waist or shoulders, smiled at the camera behind them. There was Uncle Rick, Aunt Caroline, mom and dad.

Behind the door stood a wardrobe next to which was a comfortable armchair. There was just enough space for Stephanie to retire here.

The aunt now looked much more like a girl as she sank into the armchair. Curiously, she ran his gaze around the room. When she spoke, his voice rang playfully, bringing a smile to Stephanie's face.

“I remember this was much bigger.” She got her hand in front of her mouth and her eyes widened funny. 

“Ooops! Spoiler! Not allowed!”

She jumped up quickly now. Stephanie didn't understand a word of what she had told her, but she wasn't scared of her, she felt safe. As she walked gracefully across the room, her feet barely touching the floor, the long, black shower of hair fluttering lightly after each step, as if catching a swinging breeze into the arrowhead strands.

Stephanie watched her in delight, not even noticing that he was smiling broadly.

"I'm so glad," she clapped her palms, "that you're not screaming! There was a time when you cut your hairbrush at me as I put my foot in your room. She laughed, but then she began to frown funny, raising her index finger to her mouth as if she break her head very much. “Or there will be time!” Now she lowered his hand and shrugged. “Ah! Verb tenses, they are constantly confused me.”

Stephanie stared at her with round eyes. She had no idea what the other was talking about.

“Who are you?” She finally said.

She sat on the edge of her bed.

“My name is Lia.” She smiled kindly at Stephanie again, then her gaze turned dreamy. “I remember this evening. You told me a lot about it and you showed your dream.” She reached out to her and gently stroked Stephanie's head. “Don't use headspeak now! It wouldn't come out well if mu… Aunt Bonnie found out who I am.

Stephanie was still staring in amazement. She began to feel like she was just dreaming about it all, and as if the other was reading her mind, she spoke again.

“I came here to reassure you. Everything will be fine, Steph. Your father's life will be happier than ever. You have nothing to fear.” She bit her lower lip, and the move was somehow too familiar to Stephanie. She has already seen this on someone else. "Diane will kill me for this, but let me show you something!" She now grabbed the little girl's face in her two palms, closed her eyes, and so did Stephanie.”

Images crept into her brain, clear and sharp. She stood on the same clearing, hugging Mrs. Cuddles tightly in her nightgown. There was no blood this time. The grass reaching to her legs glowed emeraldly, the smell of blooming flowers tickled her nose, the swinging, warm breeze caressed her face, and in the middle of the meadow her Dad sat there. He was surrounded by many. Everyone who loves him. He joyfully played with the small children around him, throwing one high and the other. He moved as fast as vampires used to, so he could practically juggle the little ones. She saw herself. She looked older, but she was still a kid. She sat on a plaid and helped Aunt Bonnie prepare a snack. Aunt Caroline laughed out loud as she chased Uncle Stefan. Happiness was almost palpable in the air.

The image slowly faded and Stephanie opened her eyes. The girl smiled kindly at her, and Stephanie reciprocated.

"It's the most beautiful memory you've ever shown us." Lia raised her index finger and took a deep breath. “I would like to take this opportunity here and I would like to apologize for stealing Mrs. Cuddle in the seventh grade and hiding her in the attic. You probably don't understand now, but please, won't want to kill me!” She touched her two palms pleadingly.”

Stephanie chuckled. The girl cut a very funny face.  
“I have to go now!” She said, then sighed heavily. "Steph, I know you keep a lot of secrets, but please don't tell anyone I was here. That would only confuse the Force.” Stephanie raised her eyebrows in amazement again” Dad's secret self is an obsessed Star Wars fan. He is such a nerd.” Lia remarked only incidentally, then winked at Stephanie and disappeared from the room with a bright flash.  
Steph shook her head, then rubbed her eyes with her tiny fists. She must have just dreamed it all. Slowly she lay back on the soft pillows, turned to the side, hugged Mrs. Cuddles tightly, and fell asleep in a deep, sleepless dream.

***

When Amenadiel's request reached them, Lia had no plans at all to visit little Stephanie. But when they arrived in Mystic Falls and realized it was that certain night, she couldn't stop herself from seeing the little girl. She didn't regret her decision at all. She was very happy to see her so little, and Lia liked to stir up the stagnant water anyway, even if that was why her father and mother were able to punish her very selectively and creatively.

Emilia loved her parents as well as her siblings. She was obsessed with her family; she would never have given them up for anything. But she knew her father's anger well. If they went back, she was sure he would have a word or two to add. She could have foreseen the engine room captivity in front of her eyes as soon as she had to squirt dirty relays or get a toothbrush and clean all the Jeffries tubes on the ship without magic. There may be some reassurance that all four of us went into this adventure, and that in everyone included the thoughtful, sober Diane, whose parents will listen to her. Hell, an angel asked them for help, they couldn't refuse!

She teleported to the parking lot of a motel. As she stepped between the cars, the lightness disappeared from her face, her sparkling blue eyes nailed forward where her sisters were already waiting. With each step she took, her dress changed. She visited Stephanie in another pair of jeans and a simple T-shirt so as not to scare the little girl, but by the time she reached her sisters, she was dressed in white from head to toe. She wore loose-fitting trousers and a knee-length, swinging tunic collapsed on her upper body, with ample fingers swaying in the warm summer breeze. The lapis lazuli stone hanging around her neck hung on a thin silver chain. She wore it much more because of its beauty than out of necessity. They were no longer really hurt by the sunlight.

When she reached her siblings, Diane, the eldest nodded, Eve smiled broadly at her while Evelyn propped the wall next to one of the motel's rooms with her arms folded. All four looked exactly the same. Their hair, their faces, their mouths, the color of their skins, they were all the same. They were twins, special, the last doppelgangers, each other's doppelgangers. But there were differences of their own. 

Diane was cool and thoughtful, wise and forward-thinking. She was tense with brown leather pants, with a tight top of the same color above her, which pulled away a long, thin black coat.

In contrast, Eve were the embodiment of fire. Her sudden nature and fiery temperament have plunged them into trouble many times over the years. She was now wearing a red dress that snuggled tightly around her waist and breasts, but part of skirt swung lightly around her legs.  
Evelyn was quiet. She looked at the world with a constant, broody figure, like a heavy load on her shoulder. It was seldom possible to get fun out of her, but when it succeeds, she could really let go herself. She stretched in a shoulder less, indigo blue leather top and chose shorts at the bottom. She was like a warrior goddess.  
Lia was always told by her mother that she was like a whirlwind, sweeping everything away, leaving a deep mark on the people she met. Her heart is full of love, and her soul always remains free. Emilia was most similar to their father, and she was closest to him, but they, the two of them, also had the biggest arguments.

Now they were standing here not far from Mystic Falls, at the entrance to a dirty motel room. Amenadiel, the angel of time, asked them to prevent Stefan Salvatore from being resurrected. There was only one way to do that. Even before the Travelers begin the ceremony, they must steal his ashes and prevent them from taking the Petrova doppelganger. It didn't seem like a difficult task.

“Then we go?” Lia asked.

It was clear that the head of their small mission, Diane, was now turning to the entrance with a big sigh.

“Let's go! But we didn't hurt anyone. We take out the urn, dispose of their leader, and then leave!”

The girls nodded at once. Lynn looked a little disappointed, as relief slid across Eve's face. She didn’t really want to get into conflict, considering she couldn’t always hold back her power.

They broke into the three travelers almost simultaneously. The fight didn't last more than two minutes. While Lynn dismantled the girl, Lia and Eve took care of the boy. Diane took care of their leader, Ivan Petrova. The man tried to cast a spell, but Diane prevented all his attempts with light movements. As she got closer, the man froze and didn't move in vain, wanting to. She towered terribly over him as she leaned closer and closer to him. There was dread in Ivan's eyes. Diane's face was expressionless, cold and frighteningly calm. She held out her long fingers toward him, then grabbed his face. She placed her thumb under his chin, pressed her index finger under his eyes, and placed the middle above his eyebrows, then began to murmur softly with her eyes closed.

“My mind is to your mind, my thought is to your thoughts!

Diane entered Ivan's mind and erased everything. All his fears, his pain, the last 185 years, all that was ever dear to him, his mission are gone. All that was left was an empty vessel that once carried the soul of a powerful mage.

After Diane finished, she looked up at her siblings. Everyone understood perfectly that this was the end of their mission. Lia picked up Stefan's ashes, then each walked out of the motel room. Amenadiel had just landed in the parking lot. He pulled his beautiful, granite-gray wings back into their place in an elegant gesture, then stepped toward the girls with a serious face.

“Have you been successful?” He asked in a deep, resounding voice.

"Yes," Diane simply replied.

She turned to Lia and took the urn from her, which she handed to the angel.

“Here are the ashes. I also solved the other problem. I erased the leader's memories.”

Amenadiel looked pleased, but Diane looked worried.  


“You still have to bring him back! You know? You cannot violate the continuity of time.”  


"I know," Amenadiel nodded. “I've already taken care of it. Castillus will be delighted.”  


“That wasn't the goal.” Diane clasped her hands back and raised her head proudly. “The gate hasn’t opened yet, and if he had been ripped prematurely, it would have had unpredictable consequences. Thus, along with Ivan's memories, the spell will be obscured. The Bennett witch — Lia snorted here before Diane glanced at her with a pity look, then continued — and the teaching assistant would have been unsuccessful. They found a false spell that would go nowhere.  


“Thank you. You could return now.”

Diane nodded, but her brothers thought otherwise. Respectively, Lia had completely different plans.

“It wouldn't be a problem if we stayed a little longer? You know, if a disaster should be prevented after all. Or just to make sure we didn’t violent the timeline.” She looked up pleadingly at her sister. “Please!”

Diane rolled her eyes in annoyance, but when she saw the eyes of the other two sisters as well, she nodded in agreement. At this, Lia and Eve jumped around her neck, and even Evelyn's face smiled broadly.

“But!” Diane said warningly. “We're staying away from the events. We won’t intervene and, most importantly, we won’t reveal ourselves!”

“Acknowledged!” All three of them snapped in unison.

***

Salt, then growl. He sensed only that. He opened his eyes and stared for just a few moments at the sky playing in beautiful colors. He lay in the sand, his feet softly licked by the waves of the cool ocean. He was unbuttoned in a white shirt and wearing a bermuda. He elbowed up and smiled as he watched the endless water that glistened in different shades of orange and red from the setting sun.

There was silence. Only the noise of the rising waves broke it. He stood up slowly, then peered around with his hands in his pockets. No one was on the shore outside, then a familiar melody sounded softly. Someone was playing guitar. The duo of Shawn Mendes and Camilla Cabballo sounded softly somewhere in the distance. Damon turned his head to the side and saw a seated figure as he smiled at him sitting on a tree trunk with a guitar in his hand. He started toward him and as soon as he got closer, he recognized the man.

"Did you know this is her most beautiful memory?" Enzo said, still plucking his instrument. “Not even the New Year’s Eve, when I decorated the cabin for her wonderfully, or the few months she spent in Paris. This is here with you.

"I know," Damon replied softly. “It's one of my favorites, too.”

"You're hiding here if something hurts you, aren't you?"

“Are you a psychiatrist?”

At Damon's cheeky question, Enzo just laughed out loud.

Yes, indeed it was one of Damon’s mental hiding places. In 2020, during the great pandemic (thanks to which the Earth actually escaped the great warming for a while), the Salvatore School received a desperate letter. One parent believed that her child had been possessed by demons and had tried all sorts of disgusting methods to get rid of the “evil” inherent in the child. All that really happened was that the little girl's magic power awoke, but she couldn't do anything about it. Jeremy found her, but due to strict border closures, he was unable to bring the child across the border. This is where Damon and Bonnie came into the picture.

Through his secret connections, the elder Salvatore somehow managed to fight himself over to Mexico. They spent two days there with Bonnie, one of them in Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast.

Damon was tired and still had a long way to go, so he rented a hotel room not caring about the cost, where they could finally relax a bit. He bought themselves a bottle of tequila, got a joint under the hand, and then persuaded the witch to watch the amazing Mexican sunset together. Everything was perfect that night.

They lay side by side in the sand as they laughed, talked, and invented all sorts of ridiculous drinking games. They were already high a little off the weed, but none of them hurt. Due to the pandemic, there weren’t really many tourists nearby. It was also a miracle that they were given a room at all, but Damon also knew loopholes from his previous life that not even the big ones.

At one point in the evening, the Señorita rang out from one of the nearby bars, and Damon, guided by a sudden idea, yanked Bonnie out of the sand and pulled her into his arms. The witch grinned, then sighed loudly, but it soon died when she recognized what dance Damon had invited her to dance to. Argentine tango is a dance of passion. The story of man and woman. The body is tensed to the body in a rhythm that ignites even the dead. Every movement of the dance reveals a desire that two people can feel for each other. A game of attraction and repulsion, a love story that spans ages. And they knew this dance perfectly.

When the music died, Damon still held Bonnie tightly in his arms. He wanted to stop the time. He wanted that moment to never pass. It was full of desire and so many suffocated emotions, but that minute was perfect. Then a phone ring interrupted the idyll, and Damon's memories were cut by Enzo's serious voice.

“It happens for every reason, my friend.” The man stood up. "You may be cursing the minute when you met Katherine Pierce, but it's thanks to her that you got to know her. If it's not Katherine, it's not Emily. If you don't have Emily, you'll never meet Bonnie.”

There was some rationale in what Enzo said, but Damon never thought of anything like that. ‘What if’ was not his thing.

"I hurt her so much," he whispered almost to himself.

"And yet she forgave you," Enzo replied.

They just stared at each other for a few seconds. None of them spoke.  
"She loves you," Enzo broke the silence. "She loved you even when she was with me." Enzo shook his head. "I don't know what's in you, Salvatores, but somehow every woman is lying at your feet. You even wrapped the Blondie around your fingers.

“Are you spying on me?” Damon asked teasingly.

"Something like that," Enzo shrugged, then his voice became more serious. “You have to go back, Damon! The sun is setting soon.”

Damon stared at the sky where the first stars had already appeared, then turned back to Enzo.

“I know.”

“I can't be with her anymore. My time is slowly running out in this place.” Enzo stood close to Damon. “Promise me, Damon! Swear you will never let her down!” Enzo grabbed the other man's arms tightly. "Love her for me too, because believe it or not, she'll only be whole with you."

Damon looked deep into his friend's eyes. Somehow, he felt that even though he had never asked, he still got permission to love Bonnie.

“I swear!” He replied firmly.

They stood like this for a while, in silence side by side. After a while, another figure appeared in the sand. He looked one head higher than Damon. His black skin almost gleamed in the twilight, he crossed his muscular arms in front of him, then spoke in a resounding voice.

“It's time to go, Enzo!”

The man nodded. Farewell, he even patted his friend's back. As he walked toward Amenadiel, he looked back one last time.  
“I'll message her there is to worry about. Her truly desire will be fulfilled soon.”

Damon smiled back at Enzo. He wanted to say goodbye in a way he never had a chance. He loved Enzo. Among the few people the British vampire was who really influenced him. He sincerely regretted when he died, despite he was the reason to feeling jealousy he had never experienced. When he looked at him, he waved, then from a distance he saw the black man unfolding his huge wings and taking Enzo with him.

Damon looked after them in amazement, but then looked up at the sky again. It's already dark. He lay back in the sand and closed his eyes. He waited for the awakening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pfuuh! So, thank you for the read first of all:) 
> 
> About the history: In 1838 Italy didn't exist in the way is exist our era. The territory of Italy was divided into smaller, autonomous states. From here the Kingdom of Sicily.  
> About the language: They were in Sicily, so they spoke in Italian of course. It was sooo hard to translate. And other languages will appear sometimes in this story.  
> About the science and Genesis: It has always lived in my head that God is not a name but an occupation. That there may be more advanced beings in the Universe than us, and the world of Lucifer, because it does not clearly define the concept of God, only refers to it as the father of angels, has given me the opportunity for a new approach.  
> About the Easter eggs: There are so many. I am such a nerd.  
> About Shiela: Sorry, I love her and i like the thought that her opinion of Damon had changed. That's it. Hell, he saved her granddaughter life not once but so many times!  
> About Enzo: I love him. But not with Bonnie and I say goodbye to him with this.  
> About the sisters: Hey! They are my own caracters. I love them so much. I raised them, and formed them a long time ago so i just wanted to write them. Who they are? You will get to know soon.  
> Abot the next chapter: Being a vampire... again. 
> 
> So, write me! Now, it is important to me. And thanks for the following I love you guys so much:) I have a very hard work on it and i try to do my best, so please help me. Show your love with the story:)) Aaaand: Live long and prosper.


	15. Being a vampire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dear readers!
> 
> With this chapter, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a successful, much happier New Year. I didn’t want to leave you without an update for the holidays. If you would like to make me happy too, please comment a few best wishes under the chapter. For me, that would be the real Christmas present. I hope you enjoy this little chapter. 
> 
> Damon becomes a vampire. We can find out as you have to deal with what thoughts you have about it. Until then, Caroline and Bonnie are talking in the back garden. Eventually, Bonnie makes a decision. She tells Damon what happened a year ago at Lux. At the end of the chapter, the Lucifer appears. He brings some friends with him and shows up with a very kind acquaintance for us.
> 
> I wish you a very merry Christmas again:D Be with your family if you can. And don't be sad about the Pandemic. We are so lucky that we have a little world in our head where we can hide and calm down. So this is my gift for you if you accept it:) I love you guys:) 
> 
> Bad news: I can't update the story till the end of january so sorry. If i will have time i make a christmas edition of the Protectors:)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With my already aging hand  
> I'll take your hand,  
> With already aging eyes  
> I'll keep your eyes.  
> On the destruction of worlds  
> Ancient wild, who is terrible  
> Oh, I came to you  
> And I'm waiting for you in alarm.
> 
> With my already aging hand  
> I'll take your hand,  
> With already aging eyes  
> I'll keep your eyes.
> 
> I don't know why, for how long  
> I'll stay with you,  
> But I'll take your hand  
> And I'll keep an eye on you.
> 
> /Endre Ady: I'll keep my eyes on you/

Chapter 14

**Being a vampire**

Hunger, the consuming, torturous hunger. That was the first what has returned. Then the sounds. Drops. Drops. Drops. A tap was dripping somewhere. Every drop of water that landed on the shell as a thunder roared in his ear. The friction of shoes on the carpet, loud, sharp, as if rubbing two papers together next to his ears. Heartbeats. One of the hearts beat fast, violently. He knew every beat of this heart, and the awful feeling it was when it stopped beating. The other was quieter, even, unnaturally slow. For the time being, his own has stopped beating. Then when he gets blood.

Then the smells. Somewhere, someone could cook horrible food; he felt nauseous. Then the smell of blood mixed with an odor unmatched by anything else. Spring flowers and hope. The other was pleasant, familiar, but it also carried the smell of death. From now on, his own will be like that.

Then the touch. Fine, velvety soft, warm hands smoothed all over his face. He sensed every fold. The throbbing of long fingers, the convexity of the palm, the sharpness of the nails. His body began to revive just from that one gentle movement.

He opened his eyes and was not at all surprised when two pairs of emerald eyes smiled at him.

“Well, Bon-Bon. I am alive.”

Bonnie's smile widened.

"Almost" the witch replied.

"Oh, thank God," the third member joined the conversation.

“Blondie? What are you doing here?”

Caroline looked at Damon with her arms folded. She looked very angry.

"I came as soon as I heard what had happened," the blonde vampire said. There was more concern in her voice than nervousness.

She also knelt beside Damon and looked at the witch helplessly.

“And now?”

Bonnie didn't let go of Damon's hand. She held his limb, which was getting cooler, as she kept scanning the other body.

“How do you feel yourself?” she asked.

Damon ran his eyes around the living room. Only Caroline and Bonnie were around him. This reassured him. According to them, Alaric stayed in the school, so there are those who take care of Stephanie. His concern, as quickly and intensely as rosed, disappeared so quickly, and again there was nothing left but…

“I’m starving!” He finally moaned.

The witch's proximity didn't help him in the slightest. The woman's pounding heartbeat, the smell of blood racing in her veins, had an effect on Damon that he had known very well and hadn't felt for a long time. His longing for the witch's blood returned, stronger than ever. Oh! Oh! He had to muster all his restraint to overcome the predator's instincts so he wouldn't tear Bonnie's throat right here right now.

Caroline could notice what was happening because she gently wanted to pull Bonnie back, but the witch didn't move.

"Bon, I don't think it's a good idea to be near him now," the Blondie said gently.

Bonnie turned her head to the side and looked at Caroline angrily.

“If he wants to drink from me, than he will! I won't leave him here either!”

Caroline nodded, then her gaze returned to her brother-in-law.

Damon pondered Bonnie's remark. He breathed big, lest he immediately have to catch the witch at her word. He tried to sit up, but his head hurt terribly and he felt a little dizzy as he moved. The two women helped him find a balance. As he felt stable, he wanted to get up. He opened and closed his eyes to see if his headache was relieved. The once-pleasant lighting of the living room now penetrated his retina sharply.

"You still have twenty-four hours to make the final decision," Bonnie said.

The witch was still kneeling in front of him. Seeing her uncertain gaze, Damon concluded that his friend was still worried he would not be able to cope with the situation. But the man insisted on his decision. It just took him a while to get himself together.

"I've already decided," he looked at both of them. "I'll just go up, take off my bloody rags, wash myself, and then the bloody party can start."

The elder Salvatore seemed completely liberated, as if he could hardly wait for this to happen.

"Okay," Bonnie nodded.

Caroline sighed deeply. He stood up and walked toward the cooler bag left on the dining room table.

"I brought A negative, B positive. There are 0 negatives here…" She turned back to Damon with a wide grin, who just pulled his mouth to a faint smile.

"Like a buffet for newborn vampires."

Bonnie pulled away so the man could stand up, and then she straightened up, too. Deep in her thought, she chewed nervously on the edge of her mouth as Caroline and Damon looked at the blood bags. The witch glared at them half-eyed and was very surprised that the older Salvatore hadn't slapped one of them immediately. Instead, he turned on his heels and walked upstairs.

It was really hard for Damon to stop himself from tearing up one of the bags full of blood right away, but he ruled to himself. He needed a clean head first. In the bedroom, he immediately took off his bloody shirt and threw it on the bed, then got out of his pants as well. When he was in the bathroom, he only noticed that he didn't have to turn on the lights the whole time, since now he could see perfectly in the dark again. Vampirism: 1, humanity: 0. Then he remembered his hunger, which now didn’t want to go away, and modified the result: 1: 1.

He leaned over the tap while letting the water in. The noise of water rushing through the pipe hurt his ears. He isn’t yet used to the changed perception. He washed his face, then looked in the mirror. His skin was pale, but immaculately smooth again. The tiny magpies around his eyes were gone, and he was sure that now he wouldn’t find gray hair among the raven-black strands. He felt stronger, though the complete transformation had not yet taken. From now on, he won’t have to go to the gym to stay in shape, though he wouldn’t have liked to miss the morning run, just as he didn’t want to neglect his workouts.

Suddenly everything rushed at once on him. He looked at his reflection with a desperate face. What about the Grill, what about Stephanie, what about the house? How will he explain to his daughter that his father is dead but still alive, plus forever. And what about Bonnie? He was sure that longing for the witch’s blood would be even stronger now. Anger flooded his body like a stream of lava, and he slammed into the mirror, shattering into a thousand tiny shards. He looked at his bloody hand. He just rotated it before his eyes. He will also have to deal with his heightened emotions.

As soon as he thought about that like a blonde hurricane, Caroline ran into him. She stared with widened eyes at Damon and at the shattered mirror.

“What happened?” She asked in chill.

Damon shrugged.

“I got angry.”

Caroline pursed her lips, then put her hands on her hips.

“Get yourself together, Damon! If necessary, I will now follow in your footsteps with a vervain syringe, but I won’t let you fall apart!”

Damon was suddenly flooded with anger again, but then he realized that the Blondie was just wanting to help him, and finally just flashed his smug, mischievous grin.

“I'm still the older one.”

Walking out, he playfully poked Caroline's side, and as he sorted out his clothes, Caroline sighed with relief. Damon is still Damon and hopefully not back to the beginning.

The man chose between his clothes. Somehow his usual attire didn't seem in place now. Digging deep into the bottom of the wardrobe, he found what he was looking for. He pulled a black shirt out of one of the drawers and then unhooked his black jeans as well. He hurried these to himself as Caroline stared at him with her arms folded.

"Bonnie thinks there's a problem," the blonde vampire said. Damon kept dressing. "She says you should drink from her blood for the transformation."

The man froze for a moment.

"No," he said firmly.

Caroline started chirping.

"I know it's not easy for you, but if she’s right, human blood won't be enough now."

“Than, no!”

“Oh! Come on! I am here too. If something goes wrong, I'll stop you.”

Damon stepped closer to Caroline.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to stop not to dig my teeth in her neck? And now you're saying I need to drink from her? From the woman who I…” he didn't finish the sentence. Instead, he shook his head angrily. “Damn it, Care! I can't feed from her! In fact, if I want to do well this time, I won’t fed from anybody else.”

Caroline raised her head with a kind smile.  
“I'm proud of you!” The blonde vampire stroked Damon's arm, then took his palm in his hand and squeezed it tightly. “You'll be able to do it. You're not alone. Not this time.”

The man was once again overwhelmed with emotion, quickly and intensely. His love and respect for the woman in front of him almost knocked him to the floor. He just stood there, looking at their clasped hands, and had no idea what to say. A simple thank you would not enough now. This time, things will really turn out differently. He looked into Caroline's blue eyes and smiled sincerely. The intimate moment lasted only half a minute, then Damon remembered that he would soon have to go beyond the first meal.

“Can we go, Blondie?” He pulled his hand out of the vampire's grip, then started down. “Time presses. I’m still facing a strenuous transformation, I want to jump in with Steph, and then I have to ruin my ex-wife’s job and then work on how not to snap her neck. It will be a busy day.

Caroline walked behind him and giggled.

When they got down, Bonnie was found in the middle of the living room. He was kneeling right on the couch, four candles burning around him, and the bloody carpet was tangled by the fireplace. Damon looked around with appreciative glances as he headed for the blood bags previously inspected. Bonnie looked up from the chanting, then stood up and walked over to the man. She grabbed his arm, took the blood from his hand, and shook his head silently.

“No, Old Man! This time you have to do it differently.”

Damon looked at her in shock.

“What do you mean by that? So far, everything has gone the classic way.”

The witch pursed her lips.

“Eeee! Not quite.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Enzo's blood was also enchanted.”

“What?”

Bonnie nodded.

“I cast a spell in case of an emergency. I used the same spell we used to heal you with Caroline’s blood. That's why I knew it was going to work for sure.”

Damon couldn't spit or swallow. He really didn't want to fed from Bonnie.

"So," Bonnie spread her arms, then clasped her palms. “You have to drink from my blood.”

The man had a new idea. He immediately ran to the kitchen, took a sharp knife from the drawer, and then pulled a clean glass out of the cupboard. The two women watched the scene curiously. When Damon returned to Bonnie, he set the glass down in front of her on the dining table and handed her the knife. Bonnie rolled her eyes and pushed the glass.

"You speak so much in witch that you know it's not that simple." Bonnie let out a tired sigh. “My blood has to be in my body while you suck it out.”

Damon grimaced.

“That sounded pretty bizarre.”

Bonnie coughed, while Damon gave Caroline one last, pleading look.

“Do I have to?” he asked.

"If you want to stay alive, yes," the witch replied.

Caroline stepped closer and, as a sign of support, squeezed Damon's arm.

"I'll be here," she said softly. "If something goes wrong, I'll break your neck, give Bonnie my blood, and voila, it's all fixed."

Bonnie nodded enthusiastically, and Caroline pursed her lips as she was already rubbing her hands to redeem her “threat”.

Damon finally sighed heavily and, indulging in his position, gestured toward the couch.

“Ladies! Get tired of the lounge, they will be served soon…” He looks out the window to see what time of day it is. It wasn't clear yet, but the bottom of the sky was gray. It could have been around dawn somewhere. “… whatever it is.”

Bonnie and Damon sat down next to each other on the couch while Caroline watched them with her arms folded. Damon felt a little embarrassed about that. He remembered how it felt when he first drank human blood. The experience is indescribable. His body reacted to it in a strange way. He thought disgust would catch him like when they were hunting with Katherine, but that wasn’t what happened. As the first drops of reddish liquid slid down his throat, he became overwhelmed with particular excitement. He wanted to possess the other body, and the sexual arousal immediately burst out of him. For Damon, bloodshed was strongly associated with sexuality. He therefore did not kill most of his female victims. Sage taught him perfectly how to seduce them and how to eat them in a way that would be enjoyable for both of them. Damon, unlike Stefan, didn’t kill those he ate from, but slept with them.

That's why he felt a little uncomfortable now. Under the look of Caroline, with no other choice, he has to drink from Bonnie, who by the way, the woman he has been longing for a long time. Not to mention their complicated relationship. He will need all your self-control so that his body doesn’t reveal how excited he really is.

Bonnie took a deep breath, grabbed the knife, and cut her palm with it. Like sharks, when they smell blood, Damon's eyes immediately clung to the witch's bleeding palm. For a seemingly endless moment, he just stared at the blood sticking out like a red stream, then the strange smell of Bonnie's blood flooded his nose. He couldn't tell what that scent was. He had never felt this since he met the girl. He remembered the sweet warmth of home and aroused such a fierce desire in him that if he had wanted to, he could not have restrained himself.

Surprisingly slowly and gently, he grabbed his friend's wrist, closed his eyes, and stuck his mouth against the wound. As the blood reached his mouth a very unexpected thing happened to him. Sip-by-sip pictures appeared in front of him as if he had a vision.

 _First sip_ : The whole Bennett bloodline appeared before Damon's eyes. Not only did the ghosts of the past show up, but he thought he could see the faces of the future. It was like a surreal picture exhibition where the figures in the pictures are gorgeous in different outfits and colors and come to the pictures one after the other. They all smiled, even those he knew exactly had died a horrible death. He recognized some of them, but they were also unknown there. He saw Quetsiyah, Sheila, Emily, Lucy, and countless other witches. He recognized the future Bennetts from the fact that they were wearing a completely different outfit than he had ever seen on Earth, but even if that hadn’t been enough, he simply felt in his gut that the bloodline was continuing.

 _Second sip_ : Bonnie was facing him. Her hair was stacked in an elegant bun on the back of her neck. Next to her temple, the wind waved a curled tuft. The witch was beautiful, her eyes gleaming with happiness. She took Damon's hand, her dress flashing snow-white in the pleasant afternoon sun, contrasting sharply with her wonderfully brown skin. They stood by an altar on the other side Sheriff Matt Donovan asked the question, and Bonnie eagerly replied, ‘ _I do._ ’

 _Third sip_ : They were on a clearing. They had a picnic with the whole Salvatore family. He was surrounded by an army of children, and a very familiar laugh struck his ear: Stefan's sharp laugh. The twins ran through the trees and Stephanie jumped with them. There were two little girls squatting on his back and another sitting on his lap. Bonnie held the fourth in her arms. They all looked the same.

 _Fourth Sip_ : Bonnie and he were in the library. The witch held a dagger in her hand, cutting her finger, but instead of her blood dripping onto the pages of the book open to her, the wound healed in a matter of moments. Then Bonnie said, ‘ _I said you don't have to worry, because as long as we stay together, I'll be alive. _’__

___Last sip_ : Everything went dark, only the figure of Emily Bennett was clearly visible, and her voice sounded sharp in Damon's ear, ‘ _Remember, young Salvatore! _’___ _

____Damon's eyes widened. He pushed Bonnie's hand away as if it had burned him. He gasped for air for a few seconds, staring at his friend with wide eyes. Meanwhile, Caroline and Bonnie exchanged questioning glances._ _ _ _

____"I saw it," Damon moaned. “I saw Emily and you and everyone.”_ _ _ _

____Damon's words didn't seem very meaningful. Bonnie put her hand on the man's shoulder in support, but he could still just yawn._ _ _ _

____"We got married, then we had a picnic, then you cut yourself, then came Emily."_ _ _ _

____Damon's flow of words was interrupted by Bonnie._ _ _ _

____“That doesn't make sense! What happened?”_ _ _ _

____The elder Salvatore just stared at the witch, but she didn't seem to be looking at her either._ _ _ _

____“I don't know, Bon-Bon. They were just pictures like visions, but when I last checked I wasn’t a medium yet.” His voice was a little lighter now._ _ _ _

____Bonnie shrugged back at Caroline, who also spread her arms in awkwardness. Then Damon screamed in pain. Bonnie's wound was still open, and the blood leaking from her hit the vampire's nose. His long, pointed canines almost tore themselves out of his gums. Damon got his hand to his mouth, hoping he could alleviate his pain, but he didn't go anywhere with it. The desire to bite the mouth-watering woman sitting in front of him, her blood rushing in her veins and the throbbing of her heart pounding loudly in his ear, struck him with awful force. His eyes darkened and his face changed. His transformation was complete. All he had left was his soul strength to immediately push Bonnie back on her own, then yelled at Caroline._ _ _ _

____“Get her out of here!”_ _ _ _

____Seeing Caroline's hesitation, Damon snarled at her, now showing the complete vampire of himself._ _ _ _

____“Now!”_ _ _ _

____Like a blonde flash, Caroline grabbed Bonnie and yanked her into the back garden. She knew exactly what was going on in her brother-in-law now. The urge to bite into the living flesh might have been almost unbearable for him, plus it was about Bonnie. She only hoped that Damon would be able to deal with this as well as many other problems in his life. She had long since vowed to support him in everything, no matter what happened._ _ _ _

____Stefan's last words to Elena that the older Salvatore is the better brother get to Caroline. She thought it ridiculous at first, but the closer they got to each other, the more truth she discovered in this simple statement. Damon’s actions, though questionable to put it mildly, did him for the sake of those he loved. He disguised his kindness with sarcasm, his love with the attitude of the 'who cares', but when this disguise fell, a deeply feeling, very vulnerable, pure-hearted man appeared behind it, whose innocence was taken away, pushed to hell, and so often abandoned._ _ _ _

____Caroline felt the same way before she became a vampire: outcast, abandoned. To someone who is just a supplement in everyone’s life. Until Stefan came. He gave meaning to eternity, and next to him she could feel valuable, someone in need. He became her friend, he knew her better than anyone else, they helped each other get through things, and Caroline would have happily thrown her immortality for him when the time came. She hadn't been able to agree on anyone since, no one could make up for the space left by Stefan._ _ _ _

____The large garden table has not yet been removed from the back garden. After they ran out of the house, Bonnie sat up on top and Caroline stood beside her. She leaned against the table and propped herself up with her hands. For a moment, they stared at the stars, which were barely flickering in the dawn light. The bottom of the sky was already lightening, and the witch felt herself very exhausted. As she had guessed in advance, everything was on top of their head again._ _ _ _

____When she was on her way home from Whitmore, she thought of everything. She made a plan for how they would tell Elena that Stephanie was no average child and why she should stay at Salvatore school. She imagined how she would perform everything she had heard from Lucifer and discovered in the meantime (it pretty much succeeded), how she would have fought word battles with Damon, and how much she would hate it when the man was right._ _ _ _

____But it wouldn't have occurred to her in her dream that her best friend would have to become a vampire again, let alone Elena would betray them that way. Most of what she hoped was that with Damon they would be able to get back to their usual wheelhouse. She didn't want to lose the man, it would have been worse than if she didn't feel anything for him. She had suffered so many losses in her life, she simply couldn’t bear it. Rather, she takes the secret to the grave, remaining who she was, his best friend, but unable to live without him. Without his voice, his touch, their conversations, their intimate, quiet moments when they didn’t even say a word to each other, they just sat on the couch and watched another blockbuster, or Harry Potter, or The Bodyguard about twenty billions times._ _ _ _

____Now, in just 48 hours, everything has changed. Apparently, his return was the focal point. A storm approached them, the wind of which had already struck them. He took the daylight ring brought by Caroline out of his pocket. There was no need for a new one, the old also worked perfectly. She rotated it in her hand for a while. She looked away at the blue glittering lapis lazuli stone that Emily still enchanted. The ridiculously kitschy ring has now become a family heirloom. Bonnie gently ran her fingers along the letter ‘D’ made of silver, then made a resigned sigh._ _ _ _

____"I did this to him," she said to herself._ _ _ _

____Caroline tilted her head to the side._ _ _ _

____"I don't think he'll be mad at you for that."_ _ _ _

____Bonnie now looked in the direction of the house. She tried not to feel guilty about what had happened. Caroline, meanwhile, bit her wrist and held it in front of the witch's mouth._ _ _ _

____“Drink! Your wound has not yet healed.”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie grabbed the blonde vampire's hand and lifted it to her mouth. After a few sips, she felt better. The vampire blood was never repulsive for her._ _ _ _

____"At least you don't have to keep up a first aid kit for him now," the Blondie joked._ _ _ _

____The witch snorted mockingly, but then her sad depiction returned._ _ _ _

____"Do you remember the first time we saw him at the Grill?" She asked suddenly._ _ _ _

____Caroline laughed._ _ _ _

____“Yes.”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie smiled too, holding the ring tightly between her two fingers._ _ _ _

____"He was so much," Bonnie couldn't find the right words, but Caroline did._ _ _ _

____“Sexy?”_ _ _ _

____They both laughed at that._ _ _ _

____“Yes. The mysterious stranger from the Grill.”_ _ _ _

____The witch sighed deeply. She amused the ring between her hands in amusement._ _ _ _

____“Oh my God! How I hated him,” Caroline growled. "That puffy, arrogant face and that stupid smirk."_ _ _ _

____"It was as if the Earth was spinning just because he existed."_ _ _ _

____They laughed again. Caroline turned to Bonnie with a serious look. The witch looked at the ring, blinking at the house._ _ _ _

____“How long have you known?” The Blondie asked her._ _ _ _

____Bonnie frowned at her._ _ _ _

____“What?”_ _ _ _

____“That you love him.”_ _ _ _

____The Bennett witch stared back at her friend with round eyes. She should be lying, it turned in her head, but then she immediately remembered how they were kissing a few hours ago in the living room, and she simply felt tired of pretending. She had never felt so tired before. For years, she pretended to feel nothing but friendly love for Damon, and that was enough. She did everything. She hid it, pushed it back, damn it. She wants practically better to save a man's marriage than he is. But neither the long years nor the constant repression helped her to love him less than she did… How long?_ _ _ _

____"I don't know," Bonnie said softly. “Can this be determined at all?”_ _ _ _

____Caroline let out a faint smile._ _ _ _

____“Yes. You can determine the moment. There is a faint feeling in you when you see the one you want to live your life with. A kind of certainty that he will be that.” Bonnie pursed her lips as if doubting her friend's words. It sounded too sappy for her. Caroline pursed her lips, sensing this. “I'm not talking about falling in love. That will only come later. You just look at him and you know. A voice in your head keeps whispering that he will be the one. You don’t even realize its meaning until you’ve really realized that he really is the one without whom you can’t imagine your future.”_ _ _ _

____“June wedding, huh?”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie remembered how excited the barely seventeen Caroline was when she first saw the new boy in high school. How she stormed into the Grill and told them everything she found out about Stefan Salvatore during a big break, then simply announced that they would have a June wedding. How young they were and how fools. In any case, Caroline was right. It took her eight years, but she got her wedding, and before that she was asked twice by the same man who finally said ‘I do’ at the altar. How awful that the wonderful day, which was perhaps the most beautiful in Caroline’s life, was brought together because of Katherine, compelled guests, and a fake priest who is now struggling with his newly emerging thirst. Katherine and Elena. Two doppelgangers who ruined the lives of both of them._ _ _ _

____"When I first saw him, I knew right away that something was very wrong with him," Bonnie began, and Caroline watched intently. "I've never seen a more attractive man in my life, but when I looked into his eyes…”_ _ _ _

____“Oh, those blue eyes!” Caroline interrupted. "I think he can get anyone and anything, without compelling."_ _ _ _

____The witch chuckled. There was great truth in what she said._ _ _ _

____“Yes. But not only that. It was like a swirling ocean. I can't describe that feeling. It was extremely frustrating that while I was attracted to him, I literally wanted to kill him.” Bonnie got her head to the side. “Do you know what's most interesting? I was never afraid of him. He was annoyed me, irritated me, and god knows how many times I wanted to set him on fire, but I wasn’t afraid of him even after he bit me.” The witch fell silent for a moment, and her gaze wandered into the distance like she wanted to recall a very old memory. “But then we were stuck in a world where there was no one but us, and it was very hard to pretend I hated him, so I gave up.”_ _ _ _

____Caroline squeezed her arm sympathetically._ _ _ _

____“You asked how long I know. From the moment I took his hand before the Other Side collapsed. We stood there with each other's fingers clasped while the world was about to collapse around us, and I thought of nothing but that I was home and safe because he was there next to me.”_ _ _ _

____Caroline's mouth opened as she listened to Bonnie. The memory burst sharply at her. Rick told her something after Damon decided the world would be better off without him. She got her hand in front of her mouth and raised her widened eyes to her friend._ _ _ _

____“Oh my God! Back then, I thought Alaric was talking bullshit and figuring things out because he missed his drinking buddy, but what if he was right.”_ _ _ _

____“Care, what are you talking about? What did Rick tell you?” Bonnie waited with her arms folded._ _ _ _

____"Do you know why Damon missed the way back then?"_ _ _ _

____Bonnie jerked her chin._ _ _ _

____"As I know Luke broke Liv's spell, and Damon couldn't find the others so quickly."_ _ _ _

____Caroline frowned._ _ _ _

____"Damon, who has been on those roads for a century and a half, couldn't find the way back? You don't believe that, do you?”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie spread her arms as Caroline blew mockingly._ _ _ _

____"According to Alaric, Damon was left behind to save my mother. But he also said Damon was in no hurry to get back to the crypt at all. It was as if he wanted to let everyone in front of him.” Caroline got her head to the side. “What if you knew?”  
“What do you mean?”_ _ _ _

____"What if he knew you were going to die and didn't want to leave you alone?"_ _ _ _

____Bonnie chuckled._ _ _ _

____“I don’t think so. I know how a good man Damon has become, but let’s not forget that he used to be a selfish bastard.”_ _ _ _

____Caroline frowned._ _ _ _

____“What if it is. Based on what he told me, I think there is truth in it.”  
The Blondie was now shocked by what she had said. She quickly patted her mouth with her palm. The sentence just slipped out as usual. The blonde vampire couldn't keep a secret._ _ _ _

____Bonnie raised an eyebrow and looked questioningly at her friend._ _ _ _

____“What did he tell you?”_ _ _ _

____The other tried to pretend that the previous sentence hadn't been uttered._ _ _ _

____“Nothing. We were just chatting. You know, about this and that, about Elena, about school.”_ _ _ _

____“Caroline!” Bonnie's voice sounded impatient._ _ _ _

____“Damn it!” The Blondie looked at the house with clenched teeth._ _ _ _

____The sun rose slowly. At the bottom of the sky, wide, pink and orange stripes had already appeared to indicate the approach of dawn. It was time to go in and give the ring to its owner._ _ _ _

____“You know what?” The blonde vampire turned to Bonnie again. “Ask him! It's time to talk to each other for a while. If you ask me, you’re both idiots, so go on Bonnie! Give him the ring and ask!”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie swallowed hard. Her stomach shrank a fist, and her hands began to tremble. Damon also mentioned that they would talk, but the witch wanted more time. She had lived in denial for so long that she was afraid to move out. But she was even more afraid of the consequences. What if she misinterprets the whole thing? What if the man only kissed her in the heat of the moment, twice? What if this is all just about the physical attraction that has been evident since they ran into each other at that Hollyween party? But what if it isn't? Are they starting to walk with each other? Are they going to date, as Damon mentioned? Can they have a normal relationship at all? What will happen in ten years, or even just five?_ _ _ _

____With Damon becoming a human, his time on Earth was greatly shortened, while that of Bonnie was lengthened. She knew that if she didn’t die a violent death, she could live a very, very long time without getting old. But now the situation has changed again. And that's just the minor problem. They were both stubborn and independent. Damon endured a marriage for seven years. For seven years, he was able to play out how happy he was as a white-fenced, average dad, and that’s only because he had a secret life next to him. If something goes wrong between them, or their cohabitation doesn’t go well, they can lose their best friend, they can lose the special relationship that was most important to both of them._ _ _ _

____Bonnie looked at the ring helplessly, thinking of Enzo, which the man kept telling her. Live your life, be happy, and above all, be complete. But now something has happened. The witch felt the lack. Ever since Enzo died, the man's soul had been with her all the time, feeling him all the time. She was so used to it, not noticing his absence at first. She closed her eyes, but the world where her mind had gone was empty._ _ _ _

____She looked desperately at Caroline, who looked back in confusion._ _ _ _

____"Enzo," Bonnie moaned. “Enzo is gone.”_ _ _ _

____The blonde didn't quite understand what her girlfriend wanted to punch. She was aware that Bonnie had created another dimension, a separate world for the vampire's soul, where she could be with him forever, but she thought the witch had long since let him go. When Damon showed up at the front door, the two women shuddered. The vampire was standing in the doorway to the back garden. In the safety of the shadow of the eaves, he looked at them with his arms folded._ _ _ _

____"Enzo won't be back," he declared._ _ _ _

____There was a moment of pain in his eyes as he saw how pale Bonnie was._ _ _ _

____“What do you mean he's not coming back?” Bonnie asked sharply._ _ _ _

____Damon sighed deeply._ _ _ _

____“When I was dead, I saw him. He said goodbye and left you a message. I'm sorry, but I was busy not sucking out the last drop of your blood, and I forgot to hand it over.”_ _ _ _

____Sarcasm, mockery, and that idiot, malicious smirk. Welcome to Vampire Damon, Bonnie thought. She was very familiar with the defense mechanisms of the elder Salvatore._ _ _ _

____“Damon talk!” Bonnie stared at him angrily and immediately jumped off the table._ _ _ _

____For a second, Damon remained silent. He looked up at the sky. The rays of the rising sun have not yet reached the garden, but you will soon need something to protect you from spontaneous inflammation._ _ _ _

____While Caroline and Bonnie were talking in the back garden, Damon grabbed a bag of blood and marched into his study. His desk stood next to the door, and bookshelves lined up opposite to it, full of books with different content and themes, neatly arranged in a row. Opposite the desk, in the center of the room, stood two comfortable armchairs enclosing a smaller wooden coffee table. Damon sank into one of the armchairs, tore open his blood bag, and began to sip eagerly. His hunger was muffled, but it would never go away._ _ _ _

____He stared at himself, thinking he'd screwed up. Throughout his life, he piled on mistakes, disappointed his father, his brother, the whole city, even himself. He didn't have the pay to say no. Either he marches into the army or Stefan. And he screwed up even then. Afterwards, he was so naive as to think he had a chance at a woman like Katherine Pierce. Their love is eternal, sincere and pure. Bullshit, he thought bitterly. There was nothing more than longing, a desperate desire for someone to finally accept and love him. He didn't see clearly. Damon told Stefan that Katherine didn't have to compel him. This was not true in this form. Every time Damon began to doubt the vampire's true intentions, or question her decision, or somehow wanted to end their tug-of-war, Katherine forced him to continue their romance. It was like a revived adventure novel where Damon could be the hero. Another lie._ _ _ _

____He slowly got up from his armchair. He walked around the room, then went through the living room into the foyer, up the stairs, and finally sank to his bed in the bedroom. He was exhausted, but not physically. The transformation went easier than last time. Now that he was drinking Bonnie's blood, the craving became more bearable, and that one sachet began to put everything to its place in his body. His heart started, along with his blood circulation. The constant pain disappeared from his waist, his limbs became lighter, he could no longer feel the weight of his body, his headache disappeared, and everything around him became lighter. It’s like switching from HD quality to ultra-HD. He regained control of his body. It wouldn't be just that damn hunger._ _ _ _

____His gaze slipped over the wedding picture hanging over the bed. He screwed up. The day he first lied to himself that what he felt about Elena was real, true love. When he made to believe himself, and everyone else, that it wasn’t the same obsessive, selfish desire he felt for Katherine. Oh no! He made exactly the same mistake as then. The smart man learns from his mistakes, and the wise from others. One hundred and fifty years wasn’t enough for him to learn a very important lesson: true love doesn’t spur terrible deeds because it is always pure and love doesn’t have to hurt. Love liberates, not shackles._ _ _ _

____Every time someone came into his life who questioned his own feelings, he simply ran away from her. He didn't want to acknowledge it because he was scared. No matter how much he suffered for it, it gave him security, a stability that carried the promise that his existence made sense. That he has to live on. His brother was a ripper. They couldn’t be around because they were just hurting each other. There was no one and nothing left, only Katherine and the love he felt for her._ _ _ _

____Sage was the first woman to have been able to reverse his fate, but the almost 800-year-old vampire reserved herself for someone else. Sage was brave, strong, determined, and knew a great deal about the world. Damon was impressed, nailed to the ground, which terrified him._ _ _ _

____Then Lexi. He has hated himself for killing him ever since. He will regret what he did for the rest of his life. There were things he could never forgive himself for. Lexi's death was one of them. The blonde vampire achieved what no one could do. If only for a moment, but he forgot Katherine with her. He left her on the roof because what they had experienced together was too good and he just escaped again._ _ _ _

____When he met Elena, he thought the luck was finally smiling at him. A girl who looks exactly like his love sometimes even behaves like that, but she’s a better person. Respectively, human. As it turned out that Katherine had betrayed him, he ran without thought into the Gilbert girl’s arms. This made the loss more bearable. He wanted to prove to the world that he is as good as Stefan. This time he had to win. He didn’t even notice that the same thing was happening to him as in 1864. When Rose arrived at them, he thought he could break out of the squirrel wheel with the help of the woman, which was meant by this awful chase and wrestling. This time, fate intervened, which Damon saw as a sign. Let the shoemaker stick to his last. The stick meant Elena._ _ _ _

____He refused to acknowledge that what he was feeling was the same obsession that had driven him after Katherine. Elena was innocent and kind, who accepted him along with his darkest side. Whatever he did, she forgave him. At least that's what he thought. It was too late to realize that this was just a lie to deceive himself. In fact, Elena lived in the same denial as he. Because she screwed up too. He could see the remorse in her eyes, but he didn't want to admit it. Elena regretted choosing him, and after Stefan's death, none of them wanted the younger Salvatore's sacrifice to become redundant. And by then, Damon was sure the Gilbert girl wasn’t the one._ _ _ _

____If Caroline had told Damon her monologue instead of Bonnie, the vampire would have given her perfectly truth. When he first looked into those beautiful green eyes, when he first touched the little girl's hand, who was not afraid of him at all, he felt like he was home. He didn't have to go any further because he found a home. Bonnie was only two years old, but Damon still knew, it sounded weird, that one day she would be his doom, but she was just a little kid then. An innocent, pure-hearted girl with a charming smile on her face._ _ _ _

____In a normal world, they would have grown up side by side. Damon would have pulled her hair to try to get her attention, then go to school together, study together, and then dance at the prom together. A little later, Damon would have been nervous in a jewelry store, where he would have chosen between engagement rings, and then, after finally buying it, as part of a romantic dinner, he would have asked for her hand. In a normal world, but they did not live in it._ _ _ _

____They weren’t even born in the same century. In the age in which Damon was born, the love of a white man and a black woman was a deadly sin. They would have been tied to the first tree as soon as it turns out they are meeting. Fortunately, the world has changed a lot since then, but racism has not disappeared without a trace. It will be with them all the time. And that made Damon always nauseous._ _ _ _

____And he was also able to tell the moment he realized how he felt about the witch. The feeling has hit him in the head many times over the years. No matter how deeply he was exiled, it always remained in him, and when it broke out, Damon tried desperately to escape from it. But he won't forget the first one either. It didn’t quite happen when Bonnie grabbed his hands or when the witchy returned home from the prison world. Much sooner._ _ _ _

____He held the first Petrova doppelganger, rather Lilith’s first doppelganger, Amara’s blood-floating body and for the first time in a long time he prayed, begging to someone who listened to him that she stays alive, just a little more. Because if Bonnie didn’t come back, his life has no meaning. The realization terrified him so much that for days he didn’t dare to go near the witch. He didn't want to hear about her. He was terribly angry, and it didn't help him at all that Elena tried to shake him off because of her digestive guilt._ _ _ _

____The prison world, where there were only two, at least believed this for a long time. There were moments when he chased Bonnie just because if he didn’t, it would have had serious consequences. For example, he puts the girl on the kitchen counter, pulls off her pants, and gives her pleasures she has never had before. Bonnie didn't give in to letting him know when he was behaving like an asshole. Unlike his brother and Elena, the witch didn’t pretend to walk on eggshells around him. This kind of honesty and trust led Damon to really want to deserve these. Bonnie made him to become a better person. She didn’t take his bullshit; he couldn’t lie to her because now there was nothing the witch wouldn’t have known about him. Well, except his feelings. But he wasn't so sure anymore._ _ _ _

____When he sensed the sun rising slowly, he walked down to the kitchen. He knew that his maximalist sister-in-law had already taken care of the daylight ring, as well as his blood supply. He searched the kitchen cabinet for empty glasses. He was looking for something to pour the blood into. He finally found a thermos and emptied into it one of the sachets. Then Enzo's name slapped his ear. He wandered how will Bonnie react to Enzo's disappearance? Well, he was taken. Could it be that Bonnie is still waiting to be together? Although he was no longer sure of what he had heard from Enzo._ _ _ _

____He walked out to them, and when he said the vampire would not return, he saw the despair on her face. Damon wasn't a jealous guy. He has always considered freedom sacred and inviolable. All people are born free and have an inalienable right to life. Until they want to break into his or his loved one’s life. When they fought for Katherine, he didn't do it out of jealousy either. He was more envious of Stefan. That's what happened to Elena. However, the situation with Bonnie was completely different._ _ _ _

____First that young vampire guy at the Grill. There he could have shredded him into tiny pieces on the spot as he saw how he spoke to the witch, to his witch. Then Little Gilbert. My goodness! How he hated Jeremy then. He'd rather have stuck the Gilbert ring in his throat every time he touched Bonnie. Kai's flirtation drove him crazy. He felt no one but him could touch the Bennett witch. Then came Enzo, and the green monster in his belly screamed loudly. Now this monster was just roaring, leaving a bad taste behind him and waves of anger reached the older Salvatore again. He tried to ignore it, but he couldn't._ _ _ _

____“Talk, Damon!” Bonnie's prickly gaze almost burned his skin._ _ _ _

____Damon swallowed hard._ _ _ _

____"I saw him when I was dead," he replied dryly. He tried to seem as indifferent as he could._ _ _ _

____In the background, Caroline remained silent for the time being. She was watching._ _ _ _

____“Where?” The witch asked him again._ _ _ _

____Damon looked everywhere but Bonnie. As soon as he tells her that at the moment of his death he was thinking of a place where he was the happiest, his friend immediately realizes why. It turned in his head for a moment to lie, but he was tired of it._ _ _ _

____"On the Mexican coast," he finally moaned._ _ _ _

____Bonnie immediately stepped back. For a long second she just stared into Damon's face, then they looked at each other and immediately knew that the time had come. There is no going back from here. They have to clarify things among themselves, otherwise they won’t be able to move on. Bonnie wanted answers now. She didn't care about the consequences anymore, she just wanted to finally get over her confession because the pressure was unbearable._ _ _ _

____She lowered her head, then looked at the ring in her palm, then at Caroline. She pressed the ring into Damon's hand, who immediately pulled it on his finger. The witch pointed her index finger and spoke in a commanding voice to the new vampire._ _ _ _

____“You stay here!”_ _ _ _

____Damon's mouth curled up, and now protected from the harmful rays of the sun, he sat on the garden table. Then Bonnie turned to Caroline, sighed, then smiled and asked her to leave them alone. Caroline didn't protest, and Damon was sure her sister-in-law would keep listening from the background._ _ _ _

____As the blonde vampire left, Bonnie stood in front of Damon._ _ _ _

____"Well," she began, forcing a wide smile on her face. "If I understand you correctly, when you died, you were thinking of our evening together in Mexico."_ _ _ _

____“Yep.”_ _ _ _

____Just loose, Damon thought. It will go! He clasped his ankles together and leaned his arms on the tabletop. He tried to behave as casually as possible. Bonnie walked in front of him with her arms folded and she seemed to rather just chat._ _ _ _

____"And you met Enzo there?"_ _ _ _

____“Yep.”_ _ _ _

____“Did he tell you something?” The witch was still smiling forcefully._ _ _ _

____Damon jumped off the top of the table, put his hand in his pocket, and began to walk around the witch with ease._ _ _ _

____“Nothing special.” Damon stopped and shrugged. "It's just that that night is your favorite memory, ask me love you instead of him, don't let you down. You know, just the usual guy speaking. Oh, and he send a message to you that not to worry, because your truly desire will soon be fulfilled.”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie suddenly turned to face him, and for a few moments a tense silence surrounded them. She felt a huge load roll off her shoulders. She understood the man's message, along with she need not to feel guilty for loving Damon. Enzo had told her many times that he knew her true feelings, and that was why she didn’t have to feel bad, but Bonnie stubbornly denied for a while that she loved the older Salvatore better. She argued that she had chosen Enzo, but the British vampire knew very well that this choice was not for him. And it hurt the witch a lot. She felt offended by the man. She was still attached to him and thought she would never really be able to let him go, but now she felt more at ease. In this way, Enzo can find true peace that the world she created could never have given him._ _ _ _

____The witch finally pulled her lips to a warm smile._ _ _ _

____"I'm glad," she said softly. “Enzo is finally free.” She looked up at Damon. “How did it happen?”_ _ _ _

____The vampire pulled his mouth to a one-sided smile.  
“Truth be told, I couldn't explain. For a moment we were still staring at the sunset, then a…” Damon appeared trying to find the right words. "a hightower tall guy with wings appeared. He grabbed Enzo and literally flew up with him.” Damon imitated the flight with his arms._ _ _ _

____Bonnie's eyes widened, her mouth opened, and a sincere shock sat on her face._ _ _ _

____“What did he look like?”_ _ _ _

____“Short hair, confident action, annoyingly sexy British accent and sad puppy eyes…”_ _ _ _

____"Not Enzo, you fool," Bonnie interrupted.  
Yee! He was tall” he pointed his arm toward his head” he was wearing black, weird, gray robe…_ _ _ _

____"And his wings are dark gray, and his voice is like the sound of the sky," Bonnie finished._ _ _ _

____"Yes," Damon said in surprise. “Where are you…?”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie looked at Damon very seriously, then turned her head and her expression changed. She pulled her lips to a faint smile and seemed to be preparing for something._ _ _ _

____"Well, Damon Salvatore, since we'll have to run for our lives again from now on, and you're already practically dead," Damon snorted. “I will therefore be brief so that we can also address our really pressing problems.”_ _ _ _

____The vampire wanted to intervene, but Bonnie signaled with a gesture that it was better to keep quiet now, so Damon closed his mouth and watched intently his friend, who began to speak quickly._ _ _ _

____“A year ago, when I crossed the threshold of Lux and asked Lucifer for help, he asked me the question.” Bonnie took a deep breath. “He asked what my truly desire was, and I could only utter one name, yours.” Bonnie pointed to Damon, but then began to grumble quickly again. “I didn't know what to do. I didn't even want to come home, I was completely desperate. I’m not saying I didn’t have feelings for you before, but they were bearable, but now I didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t a day that I didn’t think about what it would be like in your arms if I were with you instead of Elena. It hurt and I suffered and tried to stifle it but failed. Then I came home and you stood there and all I could think about was that I never wanted to be away from you again, and now I had to tell you that because I have to call Lucifer because we are in a situation again that something fatal could happen to any of us. And what Enzo said and…”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie probably would have continued to explain, but Damon silenced her. All he had come to realize was that he was Bonnie Bennett’s truly desire warmest desire. Recognition slapped him in the face and made him incredibly happy. He didn't really hear the other words of the witch because he was just looking at her mouth. He watched the woman pronounce the letters ‘e’, how her tongue moved when she said ‘l’, how fast her lips were moving, and his body moved almost on its own. In the blink of an eye, he grabbed Bonnie's nape and kissed her, then sat down on the table just as quickly, but their mouths didn't separate. This time the kiss was not hesitant. Damon put all his love, all his repressed desires, all his reality into the kiss._ _ _ _

____The witch's taste seemed to him like the most delicious food. He felt everything. He could feel even the tiniest taste buds with his tongue, the woman's teeth slightly scratching his lips, which only made the kiss even more intense. Bonnie gently bit the vampire's lower lip and Damon groaned. His excitement immediately intensified and his hands came to life on their own. He wanted to touch her everywhere, he wanted to feel the silky skin under his hands. He reached under her top, then his palm set off on a journey of discovery. Bonnie wasn't shy anymore either. First she ran into his raven-black hair, then her hand slipped around Damon's neck, then stroked his chest. She was just starting to button up the vampire's black shirt when they heard someone start coughing next to them. They gasped, but Damon's hands remained in place. He drew tiny circles on Bonnie's back as he turned to his sister-in-law with an overseas smile on his face._ _ _ _

____Caroline looked confused, she wants to stifle her enthusiasm with steam, trying to hit a neutral voice._ _ _ _

____“I’m so glad you finally both came to your senses and left behind this ‘I don’t want to be with him because he’s my best friend ’bullshit, but I have to go soon because the twins are waking up and someone needs Stephanie to start too.”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie wet her lips as she looked shyly at herself. She was caught with Damon, who had just broken up with Elena two days ago. It's as if at least a hundred years have passed since then. By the way, she was still a little dizzy from the intense kiss she had just experienced. Damon simply ran her down, and she couldn't resist him. Her legs trembled, almost every cell in her body screamed to continue what they had just started, but her brain ordered a stop. Doubts still remained in her. She didn't want to be Elena's deputy, though her heart felt like it was out of the question. Nor did it help to reassure her that Damon's delicate fingers were dancing insanely slow on her skin, which only made her even more aroused._ _ _ _

____Elder Salvatore finally stopped the sweet torture, straightened up, breathed a delicate kiss on Bonnie's nose, then turned to Caroline with a wide grin._ _ _ _

____"I know, Blondie, you're going to jump out of your skin now. Give us five more minutes before you run down Bon-Bon, and then I'll go to school with you!” Damon waved his hand at Caroline as his sister-in-law rolled her eyes when she went back to the kitchen. “Go out of earshot! You'll tell the bedroom secrets at the sleepover, but now we need to talk to my little witch about adult things.”_ _ _ _

____When Damon made sure Caroline had gone so far as to no longer hear them, he took Bonnie's face in his two palms and looked deep into her green eyes.  
“I love you, Bonnie Bennett!” He said in a deep, soft voice. "Not just like a friend and far from the way Elena loved you." Bonnie was smiling now. “I don't know when or how it happened. Somewhere between ‘I hate you, but I have to take care of you because I made a promise to your ancestor’ and ‘hey, this judgmental, little witch can be animalistic sexy when she’s angry’, something happened to me.” Damon paused for a moment to read Bonnie's reaction, but as the witch was still looking at him with a smile, he continued. “Before I met you, I couldn’t even imagine being able to love anyone else except my brother and…” He still had a hard time saying her name. “Voldemort.” Bonnie chuckled. "When I met Elena, all that mattered was that I would win this time. I obsessed with her sickly because I wanted to prove that I was better than Stefan.”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie was confused._ _ _ _

____“Damon, you loved her! We have all seen this.”_ _ _ _

____The vampire slowly let go of the witch's face, stepped back, then lowered his head with his hands in his pockets._ _ _ _

____“Yes. I loved her. But not all love is true love. What I felt for Elena was the same obsession that drove me after Katherine. An unhealthy, toxic, all-consuming desire to finally get the girl.”_ _ _ _

____The witch waited intently as Damon tried to gather his thoughts. He always had a hard time talking about his feelings or saying the right words. He felt like he was dancing on an eggshell because there was only one wrong move or word and spoiling his only chance at the witch. He raised his head slowly. He waited a moment, then decided to take the straightest path. There's nothing left to hide from Bonnie. She knows the darkest panties of his soul, the most horrible deeds, after what happened to them, unless she wants to burn him into charcoal, then he has nothing to lose._ _ _ _

____"I've been in love with you, Bonnie, for at least ten, long years."_ _ _ _

____The statement was followed by a shocked silence. There was a sincere shock on the Bennett witch's face. She jumped off the table and walked closer to the vampire._ _ _ _

____“What?” She asked puzzled. "It's okay that we've gotten a little closer since the Scooby Gang got together, but what?"_ _ _ _

____Damon laughed._ _ _ _

____“Of course we got closer to each other because I gave up to consistently stay away from you. I made a decision ten years ago, a very stupid decision that I have been regretting ever since. I thought I was doing us all a favor.”_ _ _ _

____Damon stepped a little closer now._ _ _ _

____"The fact that I fell in love with you in some inexplicable way was accompanied by something very dangerous to you." Damon paused again to take a deep breath. “I wanted to eat you. It literally didn’t take days after Elena fell into a coma and we went on our European pub trip so I wouldn’t have thought about how delicious you are. How good it would feel to deepen my teeth in you and suck your blood out. I promised Elena that I would wait for her and for you that you wouldn’t be hurt.”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie stood frozen against her friend. She didn't know about that. She was aware that there had been a strange attraction between them for a long time, but she didn’t dare to think that it had lasted so long for Damon._ _ _ _

____"But you were so obsessed with Elena."_ _ _ _

____“I had to!” Damon interrupted. “If I didn't, I would go crazy! I had to do something.”_ _ _ _

____“Is that why you chose the desiccation?” Bonnie asked in astonishment._ _ _ _

____“Among other things.” Damon stabbed in his hair. “Before we came home from Amsterdam and confronted the witchpires and the chaos my mother caused, I turned off my deeper feelings for you. I stopped craving for your blood.”_ _ _ _

____“What did you do?” Bonnie's voice jumped an octave._ _ _ _

____“As it turns out, I’m one of the few vampires who can turn off a single feeling without losing their humanity. And after I yanked you out of the car, I did that.”_ _ _ _

____"So that next time you don't have to save me, you can still love Elena without guilt ?!" Bonnie was already shouting._ _ _ _

____“No!” Damon was screaming now. “I did it so I wouldn't eat you! I would have burned in the sun or let Klaus bite me rather than hurt you again.” The vampire gasped._ _ _ _

____He stepped closer to the witch and placed his hand on the woman's two arms._ _ _ _

____"Do you have any idea what I went through when you couldn’t heal from my blood? How hard it was for me to live with the idea of you have to die one day. I wanted to turn you. I wanted to bite you because you are the one without whom I can’t live.”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie still stared at him in amazement._ _ _ _

____"I left because I was unable to face your death. And I definitely wouldn’t have tolerated it happening because of me.”_ _ _ _

____“And what happened next? Why didn't you tell me that before? Why now?”_ _ _ _

____Damon looked up at the sky. The little witch asked a particularly good question._ _ _ _

____"When I woke up, you were with someone else and you seemed happy. I didn’t have the right to have say a word in your relationship or punch everything in your neck. I wanted to, but I didn't. Then the sirens came, I turned off, then for a while I played the angel of hell, then came Katherine, Stefan, etc.… All I wanted to you was to be happy. And I knew it couldn't work with me._ _ _ _

____“Oh, Old Man!” Bonnie stroked his cheek. “When will you finally understand! We can't live without you either. You are a part of our lives because we are a family. You can’t choose not to love because it’s easier with that. That's the point. You don’t love someone because it’s so easy because it makes you happy at every moment. You can't control that.”_ _ _ _

____"I've figured it out," Damon replied with a smile. “Only late. When you returned from your great El Camino, I realized that no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn’t love Elena more, and I wouldn’t love you less. This is not so. Even the turn off just eliminated the craving. Turns out I could only control this one.” Damon switched to a slightly lighter tone. “I planned it all. I'm breaking up with Elena. Nice way not to hurt her. Then I stand in front of you in the most romantic way possible and invite you on a date.” Bonnie chuckled. She was no longer angry. The vampire stood there in front of her like a shy teenager wanting to invite his school’s most popular girl to the prom. “I even ordered flowers. White lilies because it's your favorite. I would have taken you to a fluffy restaurant, just like the average person does. Then after the candlelit dinner, I would have escorted you home, a delicious kiss on your lips, finally we would have arranged another date etc.”_ _ _ _

____“Waow! That sounds really romantic. You could have softened a little,” the witch teased, then put her arms in front of her chest and asked in a slightly more serious voice. “What happened?”_ _ _ _

____Damon sighed._ _ _ _

____“I was already about to perform the big monologue when Elena walked out of the bathroom with a positive pregnancy test. I froze. I was confused and happy at the same time. I went to Rick that day, we had a drink, he congratulated from the bottom of his heart, and then I walked out to Stefan, too. I remembered that he died so that Elena and I could live a happy life. Not by the way, I wasn’t sure you wouldn’t slam the door on me or laugh in my face. That's why I did what I always did. I escaped. My marriage with Elena was a good little hiding place, and now that’s why I’m getting the biggest headache you’ve ever given me, but that’s how I was able to keep you._ _ _ _

____“Two birds with one shout? "Surprisingly, Bonnie wasn't angry. "I did the same. I just denied having to face what I feel for you. I thought I was betraying those who gave their lives for Elena’s happiness. I thought I was betraying…_ _ _ _

____"Enzo," Damon finished instead._ _ _ _

____"Yes," Bonnie nodded. "It was a good thing to be with you, without any consequences, playing that we didn't hurt anyone. I could be mad at you and believe me, I really want to, but it’s not going. I'm just as wrong as you.” Bonnie pulled her arms around her even tighter and began to gnaw at the edge of her mouth. “The last year has been hell. And, yes, maybe it would have been a lot easier if I knew how you felt. But I was scared. I didn’t want to ruin your life, and I didn’t want to risk our friendship.”_ _ _ _

____"I felt the same way, but it's not much easier now. I’m a vampire again, and something suggests that this time it’s going to be a little harder to control myself. Given that I’ve only been fixing your neck for a while now.”_ _ _ _

____Bonnie involuntarily got to her neck, then smiled at the look of Damon's desperate face. She stroked it, then kissed the vampire softly before the other touched his forehead to the woman’s._ _ _ _

____“Show me your face!”_ _ _ _

____Damon stared at her in surprise and pulled his head away from the witch’s._ _ _ _

____“I want to see!” Bonnie said firmly. "If you still think I'm scared of you or there is anything you can scare me with than show me your face!"_ _ _ _

____Damon had no trouble evoking the vampire face. He hadn't dared to let go of his teeth yet, the temptation was too great. Bonnie's fingers gently touched the blood-filled, dark blood vessels, then the witch kissed him passionately again, and Damon felt that this time everything would be different. His fears were gone, his suffering was over. He found his home. As they parted, the Bennett witch looked at him with sparkling eyes._ _ _ _

____“I love you, Old Man! It doesn’t matter if you’re human or vampire. You are my best friend, and as it turns out, my truly desire is to be with you. So, if you want to taste me a little, just let me know! I trust you! And if that’s such a problem for you that you were willing to risk everything for it, then we’ll figure it out. As always.”_ _ _ _

____Damon couldn't say a word. He was just standing there, with a goofy smile on his face, and he could only think how much he loved the woman in front of him. His heart was filled with warmth, and his body was buzzing with plenty of emotion that suddenly rushed at him. All he could do was kiss her. He inhaled the scent and tried to control himself. With his mouth, he breathed delicate kisses around Bonnie's neck, trying to hold the prickly pointed fangs in place._ _ _ _

____However, something was wrong. Bonnie's heartbeat stopped, the blood was no longer bubbling in her veins, her body frozen. The air around them also seemed to freeze, as if time had stopped. Then a sharp pain ripped through his head. The constant cramps were almost unbearable, so he fell to his knees. Then, as suddenly as the pain came, it stopped as quickly, but Damon still saw stars. It hadn't been such a shocking experience in a long time. However, time began again. Some figures approached them._ _ _ _

____“Greetings, witchy!” A really sexy British accent with a surprisingly pleasing organ._ _ _ _

____"Lucifer, what the hell are you doing here!" It was Bonnie. Damon's head was still roaring._ _ _ _

____"Is that how you should greet an old friend?" The British accent again._ _ _ _

____“We came to you for your help!” Soft, deep sound._ _ _ _

____“Amenadiel? I have one or two more words for you.” Bonnie's sharp, threatening voice._ _ _ _

____The next, however, completely shocked the vampire._ _ _ _

____"We better all calm down a little." His own voice. "I'm sorry about the former, my dear shadowself, or my doppelganger. I don't know what you call it these days.”_ _ _ _

____A figure looking exactly the same as Damon towered over him. With the same one-sided grin on his face as his own, he held out his hand to Damon. His eyes were the same as what he sees in the mirror every morning. He still accepted the hand in shock as he stood up, looking at Bonnie, who was perhaps even more surprised. The other Damon walked elegantly in front of the witch, who seemed to stiffen into a statue, took the woman's hand, and breathed a soft kiss on her wrist._ _ _ _

____"I'm so glad for the luck, Miss Bennett, so I can finally contact you.”_ _ _ _

____But the surprises are not over yet. A short black woman walked over to Damon. He held two wing-shaped blades, barely 10 inches, to his throat as he snarled into his face._ _ _ _

____“Amazing Cas! He looks exactly like you. I hope you didn't hurt the witch, otherwise that's all for you,” she said, addressing Damon this time._ _ _ _

____“Stop yourself, Mazikeen! We are not here to kill my offspring's doppelganger.” The privy edge didn’t disappear from Lucifer’s voice but this time the command was felt in it._ _ _ _

____Mazikeen lowered her blades, and then Damon's nose was struck by a familiar smell, but he didn't want to believe his senses. He took a step back from the woman, then slowly turned his head sideways to the street-facing entrance to the back garden. At first he thought only his eyes were dazzling. He looked at the figure stepping on the grass, his idiot-looking, upward hair, his forever little brooding face that was now smiling wide at him, looking into his warm green eyes._ _ _ _

____"Stefan," he whispered audibly._ _ _ _

____“Hello, brother.”_ _ _ _

____In a fraction of a second, he grew in front of his younger brother and hugged him as if it weren’t tomorrow. He buried his head in Stefan's shoulder and just cried._ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter. This is the end of the Part II. We are in the middle of the story now. 
> 
> The threads begin to come together. Slowly everyone is lining up, but we will still be surprised.  
> Does it turn out who is really behind the curse? Will they manage to break it? And what about the prophecy? How can Bonnie and Damon handle their relationship? And what will happen to Staphanie? Or Elena's? We can answer all of these in the next chapter.  
> In the meantime, enjoy the most beautiful holiday of the year. A huge embrace for all of you from here in Hungary. Merry Christmas again :)


	16. Christmas Special Edition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Greetings guys:)) I know i'm late:) I wanted to post this at Christmas, but i have a lot to do in my home. But i really want to write a Christmas chapter fro the Protectors. 
> 
> This chapter has a little bit Spoiler alert. It doesnt connect to the main story line, but this a part of it. Like a really special edition. Another fandom is in this short chapter. I hope across this chapter we can celebrate the holidays together. I will think about you. With this I wish you a very, very, very Happy New Year for all of you who reading my story:))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Space the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before."
> 
> /Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation, opening title/

**Christmas Special Edition**

The ghost of the Christmas of the future - a Christmas special edition

_Lieutenant Dianna Salvatore's personal diary, star date: 51979.9. After weeks in the Gamma Quadrant, it’s good to be in a familiar environment again. In recent days, I’ve been feeling more and more of a phenomenon that my dad just calls homesickness. In his words, homesickness is something that reminds us that we are still human somewhere and not the end products of a crappy experiment._

_There is December 23 on Earth. It’s the eve of the winter solstice celebration that people call Christmas. Sometimes, I feel that moving away from emotions has an exclusionary effect, but my sisters always remind me that a combination of love, a sense of belonging, and family ties will never be able to steer me on the path of pure consciousness and logic. Another eloquent proof of this unfolded before me today as I was excited to wait for the replicator to finally complete the operation. Getting ready for Christmas excites me, even if it’s my 351st Christmas. Seeing the radiant face of my parents that we can all be together again on this special occasion evokes a sense of happiness in me._

~.~

_Lieutenant Elizabeth Greasley's personal diary, star date: 51979.2. Another year will pass on Earth. A lot of days converge away from home. We don’t feel the passage of time, it’s just a holiday that still reminds us where we started and what our duty is. I never thought I would say that once, but that way, from the perspective of more than three hundred and fifty years, I would cry back in school._

_We all have and will have losses. Tomorrow we will light candles for those who can no longer be with us. I'm afraid the DS Nine's holodeck will ignite. But it’s still good that the captain insists on this ceremony. Maybe the only earthly holiday we have and of course birthdays. You can feel the Christmas atmosphere all over the ship, mainly because the captain instructed the computer to play old Christmas songs all day. Rather, they should be called ancient Christmas songs. Although the captain is also slowly considered a fossil._

~.~

_Logbook, supplement. Entry by Commander Dr. Stephanie Parker. Star date: 51979.8.  
Compared to the latest sensereport on the crew, it gives much more confidence today. The Redemption crew has been fighting a seemingly endless battle against Dominium soldiers in recent months, and while we can claim many victories on our own, the heroic deeds must be taken into oblivion. This leads to a stressful state of mind. This holiday could not have come at a better time. Christmas tunes crawling aboard the ship remind this great crew that they are still human and still have a home, not just bleak space. There is a change in the air and the atmosphere in the canteen is getting happier. In preparation for Christmas, the captain increased the replicator head portions so that everyone could make their gift and no one would think of getting any illicit goods that could endanger the ship’s crew. Werewolves are sometimes able to delight themselves as the holidays approach._

_The witches are once again preparing for some kind of performance that might threaten to fall, but the commander of the DS Nine is rumored to handle difficult situations well, and after all, he’s not quite human either._

_However, the presence of Klingons at the station is a cause for concern. Vampires easily lose their heads if provoked, and unfortunately the captain is no exception. But I trust in the preparedness of the first officer and the influence of our Chief Scientific Officer, as well as the media skills of Ambassador Salvatore. I don't think Commander St. John is a good idea to let him near the Klingons. While his merits as Chief Security Officer are indisputable when it comes to the Klingon Empire, his views are unshakable even if they are currently fighting on our side. In his words, ‘A dead Klingon is better today than two living tomorrow.’_

_But nonetheless, in my professional and personal opinion, the ship’s crew can get outgoing to celebrate one of the most important holidays on Earth, subject to appropriate security measures and strict protocol for the Red Badges.  
I attach the detailed psychological report to the logbook and forward it to Captain Benjamin Sisko, commander of the Deep Space Nine Federation Space Station._

~.~

_Personal Diary of Lt. Commander Dr. Emília Salvatore-Bennett, Star Date: Who cares! There is 23rd December 2374 on earth. In just a few hours, we will celebrate Christmas together. We still have everyone from the family and we can finally send a subspace message to school on Earth. If these aren’t the best things that have happened to us in the last one year, then nothing is. I can’t wait to see Dad’s face as he unfolds his gift. He said something very special is being prepared for this current holiday. He didn't even tell Aunt Care, who, of course, was completely upset about it. Mom behaves totally mysteriously and had to get three golden latinum bars from somewhere. Yet what do we do with latinums? I tried to get something out of Kai, but he got me out of the engine room. I hate it when he’s like that. Steph could finally raise him. Kat just pulls her mouth, too. By the way, Kat. She’s going to get something fantastic from me this Christmas. I replicated her old lapis lazuli necklace. She'll be there for it. Uncle Stefan doesn't miss the list like he did last year. It was a big fiasco. I can’t wait to see Deep Space Nine. She has a much better name than Terrok Nohr. If we smile at Dad pretty enough and Starfleet doesn't intervene, we can visit the Bajor as well. This holiday will be great, I feel!_

~.~

_Personal log of Commander Bonnie Bennett-Salvatore, star time: 51979.7.  
There have been few occasions for the Redemption crew to celebrate in the last few months. The constant reconnaissance missions and percussive actions on it took a little out of all of us. People were tired and exhausted. I sincerely hope we don’t have to go back to the Gamma Quadrant for a while. Wearing the red badge comes with serious obligations, and quite a few have already indicated that they would rather go back to Earth, to school. I am confident that Eve can receive them and Evelyn will train the next generation properly._

_I can't wait to see them. I haven’t talked to my daughters in months and they I really miss them. I hope they will be there at the station in time. It was a great idea from Damon to hold Christmas at Deep Space Nine near the Bajor, although that means I have to do business with a devil or a Ferengi again. Lucifer's charm would be fine now. The ferengies are hard to compel, they only understand in latinum. Luckily, I knew people like that from ancient times. Money talks._

_Damon, as always, holds a great commemoration in honor of those who can no longer be with us. And the list is getting bigger year by year. We are slowly getting used to the fact that inheritance comes with this. Many of us will still leave, but there are a few who have left a void that no one has been able to fill in three hundred years. We will always remember them with a sore heart._

***

Bonnie stood in her nightgown in front of the cabin bathroom mirror. She was just waiting for the replicator to make her uniform. They will be moored soon, and the chief officers will have to enter the station with dignity. She took one last look at her hair, straightened the tight bun at the nape of her neck, and stepped out into the sleeping area of the cabin. She walked to the small bedside table by their bed, clasped her arms in front of her, and stared thoughtfully out the window.

They will soon see the long pylons of Deep Space Nine. U.S.S Redemption is coming out soon so they can finally breathe a little again. It was a long nine months in the Gamma Quadrant, taking a little out of everyone. The fight against the Dominium, the eternal struggle with the shape-shifters, and the business with vortas exhausted the crew. They did not swim without loss. A good few of the rookies got lost when they ran into a Jem’Hadar unit on one of the planets (Bonnie didn’t even remember her name anymore). Because the reconnaissance operation was led by Damon, he feels the personal responsibility for the deaths of the three witches. But Bonnie was just as tormented by guilt. If she had prepared them better, perhaps if she had been more careful in mapping the planet, (as chief scientific officer it would have been his job to examine the surface and possible life forms thoroughly, but found nothing), no tragedy would happen. But Bonnie has experienced enough to know that everyone suffers losses in a war.

She was also aware that her husband was not only upset about the deaths of the three young officers. He reacted very fiercely when he saw the corpses lying on the ground. She hadn't seen Damon so angry for at least a hundred years. The Jem’Hadar unit consisted of 10 people and the captain slaughtered them all in cold blood. He finished with all the soldiers in just half a minute, then locked himself on the holodeck for hours. When Bonnie decided to go in, she was greeted by the sight of a raging vampire battled with holographic blood, with blood-frozen corpses from individuals of different species around them. There was one that he merely tore apart, tearing the throats of some, but ripping the hearts of most of them. Bonnie walked slowly over to him and carefully turned her husband toward her. The vampire's eyes flashed blank for a moment, as if turning off his human feelings, but then tears escaped into the ice-blue irises and they finally mourned the deaths of their three students together.  
So a little festive mood came in very handy now. Bonnie's gift to Damon lay in the drawer of the little bedside table. A holoprogram compiled with Stefan. She was sure that her husband would really like it, as he always says that only one thing is missing from being on earth other than his two remaining daughters and grandchildren, his dear Camaro. That way, you can get both.

Bonnie missed them too, but she knew she couldn't leave Damon alone. More than two hundred years ago, they undertook to defend the Federation against all enemies. They took an oath they could not break, and their children were aware of it. Still, days didn’t go by without thinking about them.

The witch's gaze now slipped on the photo on the bedside table. It was not a holophoto, but a paper photograph, then three hundred and fifty years old. Bonnie smiled broadly at it, her white dress glittering in the bright sunlight. Damon put his arm around her from behind as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. One of the happiest days of their lives. They renew their oath over and over again every hundred years because there is no one else who would rather spend eternity with them than with each other. One would think that three hundred years of marriage could get a little boring, but Bonnie may not have been bored for a single day since she knew Damon. She would follow him anywhere, and she was sure that the ship's crew would do the same.

The cabin door opened with a soft hiss and the captain of the Redemption; Damon Salvatore entered. The fleet uniform jacket hovered around him, on the neck of the red turtleneck underneath, four tiny buttons, lined up side by side, proclaimed his rank: Captain. He has come a long way so far, but he has not regretted his decision since. He commanded a crew of one hundred and fifty-six who were revered, loved, and even followed to death. They were loyal to him as he stood up for his men. And though his chief strategic officer was an exact replica of his first wife, no memory of the insane love he felt for Elena remained. So much forever.

He walked softly to Bonnie, gently embracing her waist, and kissed her neck.

“How are you?” he asked.

Bonnie turned to him with a smile and kissed him.

“The uniform will be ready soon.”

Damon's hands slid across the witch's body, all the way to her thighs, where the thin nightgown was sliced up. The vampire's fingers pulled apart the cutout and he began to draw tiny circles on the woman's inner thigh with his fingers. Meanwhile, he sprinkled his mouth on Bonnie's neck, full of breaths of delicate kisses, moving down her shoulders and then back to her face.

“How much time do we have?” He murmured into his wife's neck.

Bonnie closed her eyes. She was completely immersed in pampering. She reached back, grabbed Damon's neck, and pulled him closer. Their bodies pressed tightly together.

"Another forty minutes," Bonnie breathed.

Damon grinned.

“That's enough.”

He picked up the woman and steered it toward the bed. He lay on top of her gently and would have continued what he had started but the doorbell ringing. Damon growled angrily.

“Whoever it is, I'll kill it.”

Bonnie chuckled. She pushed the vampire away, and Damon rolled away from her and spoke with a disappointed sigh.

“Free!”

Stefan entered the cabin with raised eyebrows. He crossed the handkerchief's foreground by two steps, then stopped in front of the marriage bed, from where his brother looked up at him with a slightly disapproving look as Bonnie tried to cover her smile with her hand.

"My dear brother, you always had a great sense of timing!"

Stefan raised an eyebrow curiously.

“Did I disturb something?

“You d…”

"No," Bonnie interrupted.

She put her hand on Damon's mouth.

“What did you bring?”

Bonnie held out her hand before Stefan handed her a gray pad.

“We got the docking license. I sent the list to Captain Sisko at the station about our special needs, and you’ll also find the other list of things we’ve gotten.”

Damon looked at the bench and ran his gaze across the display.

“Eve and Lynn?” He asked his brother anxiously.

Stefan smiled reassuringly at him.

  


"They're arriving tomorrow on a Marsan passenger ship. They will be there at the station in time.”

Damon let out a sigh of relief.

"Landon and Hope are coming with them. The whole big family will be together.

Elder Salvatore pursed his lips with a wide grin.

“What's left?”

“Oh yeah!” Stefan said to his head. “The station’s chief medical officer is still awaiting special permission from the Fleet, but the requested blood products will also arrive on time. And the tree in the hydroponic garden is already waiting to be taken out of place. I have not yet agreed with the owner of the bar…”

Bonnie interrupted quickly.

“He is a ferengi. Trust me! He would also sell his family for three bars of golden latinums. We can only somehow persuade us to rent the bar for three days.”

Stefan shook his head.

“Well, I'm not sure. The klingons are all well-paying guests. We have to come up with an exact calculation if we want to convince us.”

Damon resignedly raised his hands high, then dropped them on the bed.

"Ha, the good old days when we could still compel anyone if we wanted to have a good party."

Bonnie handed the pad back to Stefan.

"I don't think it's going to be an easy deal, but you could do that financial project with Caroline."

Damon pursed his lips, looked skeptically at his wife, who raised eyebrows, silently letting him know that their sister-in-law do indeed be capable of this kind of work. The captain finally resigned, rolling his eyes, picked up his red fleet badge from the bedside table, pressed it, and spoke.

“Number One!”

Through the comm system, Caroline's jingling, excited voice could already be heard.

“Yes, Captain?”

“Make a detailed financial statement from the revenue data of the Deep Space Nine bar! The time interval is the last three months.”

“When do you ask?”

“For yesterday?”

Caroline snorted.

“So, as soon as possible.” Caroline sighed. "Can I tell Kai to help break up the ferengi's system?"

  


Damon pulled his lips aside thoughtfully.

"Yes," he said at last.

He considered the conversation over and put the badge back on the table. He knew he had no chance of a little bed game with his wife now, so he took off his jacket, got out of bed with lazy movements, and headed for the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Bonnie also stood up. A few steps from their bed stood a glass table with two armchairs around it. Their cabin wasn’t too big, but they could comfortably fit in it. It didn’t offer as much luxury as the bedroom in their shared house. From the arm of the armchair, Bonnie picked up her robe and pulled it on.

Stefan watched in silence. His questioning gaze zigzagged back and forth between his brother and Bonnie.

“Then, that's it?” - he asked.

Damon now peered half-naked out of the bathroom and nodded.

“Yes. We're done. You can go, my dear brother, and don’t forget to tell everyone that the honorary uniform is a must! Ask Caroline for a list of who will stay on board during the maintenance work and who will come with us to celebrate. I hope the Blondie didn’t forget to do the roster.”

Stefan snorted and was already walking out of the cabin. Bonnie shook her head as Damon grinned mischievously after his brother.

***

When Commander Benjamin Lafayette Sisko was promoted to captain, he was also able to gain insight into some of the more shady locations of the shining brightly Starfleet Command. For example, he knew what to do if they came across an Omega particle. He understood that. Destroy it, keep it a secret! That made sense. Then a U.S.S. Discovery shaped gap is also a fill in in the Fleet history. It was also digestible information. He was less able to accept the existence of Section 31, which handled the principles of the Federation flexibly, but he was aware that the existence of organizations like this was necessary to maintain peace and protect the Earth.

But there came the Special Squadron of Starfleet Red Badges. Captain Sisko will never forget when Admiral Peris called him into his office on the day of his installation, sat him down, and handed him a data carrier. The admiral left him alone, and when he returned two hours later, Benjamin could not speak.

The designation Red Badges meant merely the crew of a single starship, U.S.S. Redemption, but this ship has been orbiting the galaxy for at least two hundred years, and its captain is still the same person. He first read the crew list, the details of the chief officers. Damon Guiseppe Salavatore, born in 1839. At first he thought he didn’t see well, surely someone had made a mistake in recording the data. Then, running through the data of the first officer, he had to realize that this was not a mistake. Caroline Elizabeth Forbes-Salvatore, born in 1992. High Governor, Elizabeth Saltzman-Greasley, born in 2014. Chief Communications Officer and Federation Ambassador, Stefan Francesco Salvatore, born in 1846. Chief Scientific Officer, Bonnie Sheila Bennett-Salvatore, born in 1992. Their chief strategic officer was nearly a thousand years old (Katerina “Katherine” St. John, born in 1473), and their chief engineer also beat four hundred from above (Malachai Parker, born in 1972).

This was the first shock. Then, scrolling further on the display, he learned what to do in the event a fleet captain crossed their path. Erase everything, don’t get in their way, don’t ask questions, don’t tie into them, fulfill their special requests and always have enough blood products available for the crew! Almost nothing could be known about their biological characteristics. In a footnote to this, it is stated that all data and possible problems are handled by the ship’s chief medical officer, Emilia Salvatore-Bennett (born in 2025). For all other concerns, consult the ship’s counselor with confidence (Stephanie Lillian Parker, born in 2019).

Eventually, after going beyond that as well, he found a comprehensive description of the origins of the crew members. From the data above, it has already been revealed that they are not quite human beings, but he would not have dreamed that Redemption contained the remains of a long-forgotten experiment. An earlier specimen of the human race created by a Q and their descendants. The Q species has more than once caused a headache for the Alpha Quadrant. Captain Sisko ultimately owes it to them that lost his wife at Wolf 359 and the Federation had to face the Borg. The Q race was accompanied by only chaos. They are inscrutable, omnipotent, annoyingly confident, associated with infinite power. By the end of the data, Benjamin Sisko was sure of one thing he would never want to meet with the crew of U.S.S. Redemption.

But Captain Sisko was not so lucky. In the command office of Deep Space Nine, he frowned at the mooring permits of the day and received an order from the Fleet that Redemption should moor at the station in any case for a few days. Sisko was afraid of the meeting. Yet what could he do against a group of vampires, werewolves, and witches if Christmas party accidentally will go wrong?

The double-leaf door opposite his desk opened with a soft hiss, and the researcher's chief officer, Jadzia Dax, entered through it. Here is another human-looking entity who is over three hundred years old. The trill woman was pretty. She wore her mid-long, straight-haired black hair in a loose ponytail held together at the nape of her neck. Her light blue, beautiful eyes and heart-shaped face, on the edge of which the dots ran down the golden brown all the way to his ankles, always reflected merriment. For Sisko, the smile playing around her lips was all too familiar. Curzon, his best friend, the previous host of the Dax symbiote in the woman's belly, smiled just as much.

“Hello, Benjamin!”

There was lightness in Jadzia's voice.

“Come on, sit down, Old Man!” Sisko stood up and pointed to the wide seat next to his desk.

Jadzia followed her friend. The captain also took a seat next to him. He unzipped his jacket, then, accompanied by a tired sigh, leaned against the arm of the couch, then closed his eyes for a second, finally straightening and looking at Dax with a serious face.

"What I'm going to talk about now can't get out of this room! I strictly forbid you from talking to anyone about it! You can't even tell your husband!” The captain took a deep breath. “Have you heard of the Red Badges?”

A nostalgic expression sat on Jadzia's face. Her smile betrayed that she evoked something very fond in herself.

"Yes," she nodded, still smiling. "Curzon had a little affair with one of the Salvatore girls. It didn't take long, but I think she was the woman Curzon could have stayed with. 

Benjamin laughed.

“He told me about her! Now I remember. The mysterious Dian. I thought she was just a fake girlfriend because he wanted to brag about it.”

Jadzia's mouth reached to her ear.

"No, in fact, if I remember correctly, Emony almost signed up for their program?" Dax chuckled. “She had a crush on the younger brother. The guy has an old, earthly name.”

"Stefan Salvatore," Benjamin said instead of her.

“Yes!” Jadzia's face turned out.

“How do you mean she applied to the program?”

Benjamin was a little confused. According to them, that report did not cover everything.

“Oh, well, officers up from all captain ranks are notified of the Red Badges, but there are some races that can be recruited into their special unit.”

Captain Sisko's eyes widened. Jadzia leaned forward and clasped her hands.

“They have their training squad on Earth in Mystic Falls, Virginia. You have to look at that place once! It was almost conserved after your World War III. Here is the Salvatore Boarding School, where children with special abilities can attend. Jadzia looked at her friend curiously. “I guess you already know what that means?”

"I still haven't recovered since."

Dax laughed.

“You are the chosen of the prophets and can’t accept that people like the school students can live among the human race?”

Captain Sisko shook his head, then began to explain, pointing fiercely.

“It's not the same. Aliens in the wormhole are existing entities. But vampires, werewolves and witches? With these, only the ancient peoples of the earth ravaged each other. As a science officer, you should know best that it simply cannot exist.”

Jadzia shrugged.

"Well, old legends always have some truth in their content."

“But still only legends!” Benjamin interrupted.

“And they're not really human. Would it be so hard to accept that there could have been other humanoid life forms on Earth that might be more advanced or have different physiologies?” Jadzia put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "You easily digested your best friend's belly with a hundred-year-old worm."  
“Hah, Old Man! The captain sighed. "Rather tell me about the species that can be recruited into this special squad."  
“The united trills. Definitely because of the long-life experience. Then the vulcans. Mainly also because of their longevity, but also because of their telepathic abilities. And betazoids, also through their telepathic ability. They are able to understand the special needs of the crew and are well connected to them.”  
"And in the end, why didn't the two previous hosts join the battle line?"

“Emony had more serious obligations to Trill, and Curzon had a broken heart and almost broken bones. But nonetheless, I don’t think Dax symbiont has been fired yet. After I became a united trill, I received an invitation from Captain Salvatore to join his crew at one of the Star Bases, but eventually I chose Deep Space Nine. Although it can be very exciting to serve on that ship.”

The captain could agree with it. He got up from the couch and walked to his desk under Jadzia's curious gaze, from where he picked up the gray bench and pressed it into Dax's hand. The deputy commander quickly scanned the display, but instead of looking up with frowns, he smiled broadly.

"I don't know exactly what Christmas means, but it doesn't sound too bad. They just want to celebrate and be with their family.”

Benjamin looked at her as if he didn't consider her completely sane.

"It's already tense at the station. We are full of klingons and the Dominium is too close to us. The least missing is a team of creatures of uncertain origin who have the “special ability” to have superhuman strength.”

There was a very troubled expression on the captain's face. Jadzia got up from the couch and turned to face the man.

“Benjamin! Most of my memories of this crew are pleasant. There will be no problem with them. Just follow the privacy protocol! Maybe this little festive atmosphere is missing from the station. The bajorans can also hold their own ceremonies, it is time to get to know the earthly customs as well!”

The captain didn't seem too enthusiastic, but he nodded reluctantly.

A few hours later, he waited at the sluice gate of the docking rings for the arriving of Chief of Staff of the U.S.S. Redemption. Major Kira, the station’s first officer in Bajoran, Superintendent Odo, the station’s shape-shifter (changelling) chief security officer, and Jadzia were accompanied to the meeting.

When the sluice gates rolled aside and Captain Salvatore stepped out into the hallway, Jadzia understood Emony Dax perfectly. The Salvatore brothers were devilishly handsome. Kira Nerys felt similar. She was not a fan of men on earth. She thought the testosterone in them was overflowing and their noses were too smooth for her taste, but it was enough to take a look at the captain's sparkling blue eyes, his slightly messy raven-black hair, and that damn mischievous, confident grin, and she felt burn in herself. She also forgot her name for a second. The uniform was careless. It wasn't even completely buttoned. With his hands in his pockets, he shook hands with the captain with a loose gesture, but the combination of these did not detract from his attraction. Kira took a deep breath to gather herself, and as she looked at Dax, who was a little shyly smiling at the guests, she was relieved to note that it wasn't just her was affected by his appearance.

The captain was followed by his first officer. An attractive blue-eyed young woman. Kira wondered how someone could be so young in such a high position. She didn't look more than twenty. She shook hands politely with everyone, but her movements were much more measured. Then came the chief scientific officer. The captain introduced her as his wife. Bonnie Bennett was a particularly attractive phenomenon. There was sincere admiration on Odo's face as he shook hands with her. Her holding, her movement, the gaze of her eyes all made them feel as if they were dealing with a real queen. Her warm, velvety voice reassured everyone.

Their ambassador elicited a similar reaction from the members of the ladies present, a sample of his older brother. He was otherwisely attractive. Like the hero of a romantic holonovel, he stepped out of the sluice chamber. His performance was confident, and his green eyes radiated sincere kindness. Kira accompanied the four of them, while the captain and Constable Odo greeted the others.

Jadzia's heart was pounding in her throat, though she didn't understand why she was so excited. She also greeted the ship's security chief with a smile. Lorenzo St. John was also one of the men she wouldn't have kicked out of her bed if it weren't Worf, and this was probably noticed by his very pretty and beautiful wife. The woman's large brown eyes flashed coldly and she gripped the man's waist even tighter with her long fingers, but a wide smile spread across her face as she introduced herself.

The arrival of the ship’s counselor brought a lasting experience for all of them. She was extremely beautiful. Her long blond hair collapsed on her back in loose waves, her warm green eyes openly scanning the opponents. She couldn't have denied whose relative. Although her features were softer than Captain Salvatore's, there was the same smile around her mouth as her father's. With her hand she clung to the arms of a young man whose grin knocked everyone out of the water. Commander Stephanie Parker, with a graceful motion, slipped her hand out of the man's elbow bend, stood tightly in front of Captain Sisko, then grabbed the man's hand in her two palms.

"I'm so glad we can be here, Captain, and see this wonderful station. Please do not be afraid of us! We will not cause harm. In return for the accommodation and for allowing us to celebrate one of our family’s holiest holidays here, we want to reward you generously.” She smiled reassuringly. “If you want, celebrate with us!” She looked sideways at Jadzia. "We'd love for the rest of your crew to join us on Christmas Eve. My father and his brother are preparing a special dinner.”

Meanwhile, the young man, who introduced himself as Malachai Parker, grinned coldly at Odo. His gaze was frightening, almost completely emotionless. When he shook hands with Odo, he still threw a few sentences with a wide smile.

“You are a changelling. You could do something with your face. By the way, changellings. I don’t trust them and I don’t like them crossing my path. I can do very nasty things if…”

“Kai, please!” Stephanie interrupted softly.

She almost swam to her partner.

"Forgive him, Superintendent Odo. The crew doesn’t have very good experience with individuals of your race, and sometimes we tend to generalize.” She looked at Kai kindly. “Treat them properly! They deserve it!”

The man's features softened almost immediately, warmth moved into his brown eyes, and the frightening grin was replaced by a sincere smile. After a few moments, they were already following the others.

And then came Diane. The Salvatore foursome twins were very well known in some circles. One of them, the eldest emerged from the sluice gate, proud and beautiful. Jadzia immediately understood the reason for her excitement. Curzon had very strong feelings for the girl, which to some extent found reciprocity. However, the relationship with mortals was not very healthy for the sisters, so Diane opted for a life based on emotionless, pure logic. She approached Ambassador Sarek, who taught her the basics of the Kolinar, and she set out on this journey rather than committing herself to someone she could not be with for a long time.

Diane first introduced herself to the captain, politely but extremely measuredly. She could easily be confused with a vulcan. Even the dress she wore reflected the vulcan traditional attire. She walked over to Jadzia and their gazes met. Memories smashed violently on the trill. She was aware that reunion was strictly prohibited by law, and also that her husband was waiting at home, yet she could have kissed the woman here on the spot. Curzon had a great sense of falling in love with women with whom his relationship was too complicated.

"Jadzia Dax," the lieutenant commander swallowed as she introduced herself.

“Dax?” Diane said. Her facial expression changed. The cool, emotionless mask fell off her, and tears welled up in the glowing blue eyes. “I thought I'd never see you again.” She ran her hand across her face. "I'm so sorry about what happened between the two of us, but it had to be that way."

Jadzia was immersed in the touch for a moment, but then disciplined herself and tried to hit a neutral voice.

“Curzon was sorry too that your relationship didn't get along.”

Diane let out a faint smile, but then her serious, emotionless expression returned, and then she followed her companions.

The chief medical officer rushed over to everyone like a windmill. She just ran his gaze around the host committee, introduced himself quickly, and finally ran after the others.

The arrival of the chief conn officer and her husband (Elizabeth and Milton Greasley) was already on schedule, and the line was closed by navigator Josette Saltzman. They are the ones who will prepare the terrain. The rest of the crew will join them later. They did not require a cabin, they just wanted to occupy the bar and the holodecks. Benjamin was with him so that if they could convince Quark, then from him, things could go.

Well, not everything went as smoothly as he thought.

***

Elim Garak was the only Cardassian at the Bajoran station. At the time, he was a respected member of the Obsidian Order, but today, he has become just a simple tailor. When he sniffed that the Red Badges were coming to the station because they wanted to celebrate some buggy earthly feast, he immediately selected himself a comfortable seat in Quark’s bar from where he could observe the whole place. He didn't even have to wait long for the first action. He was very curious about an organization about which almost nothing could be known. What could be so interesting about them that the great Starfleet even denies their existence even though they are wearing their uniforms?

The first thing Garak noticed was an extremely pretty and tastefully dressed human woman. Her long, wavy brown hair was beating her waist and she walked between the tables as confidently as if she were the boss here. He was closely followed by a tall man with short brown hair. The guy was walking confidently too, but he seemed nervous. Waiting for a while, Garak also realized why. The man watched in disgust at the squeaky Klingons, who, drunken with blood wine, giggled loudly and tapped each other or boasted great feats, half of which as Garak thought was not true.

Suddenly he raised his head as one of the big-mouthed Klingon warriors rumbled against the man, who hadn't really taken it in good mood.

“Hey, human! You are in my way!” The Klingon growled at the man.

Garak had seen something he had never seen before. At first he didn't want to believe his eyes, and he was sure no one but him had noticed. The face of a human being looking like a fleet officer has changed. Strange black veins appeared around his eyes, and as he squeezed at the Klingon, pointed, canines protruded from his mouth. In a split second, the man grabbed the warrior's vest and tossed him across one of the tables with one hand.

Garak watched the scene with eyes wide in amazement. He had to blink and almost pinch himself, isn't he dreaming? Then the other Klingons began to approach the fleet officer. One was grabbed by the pretty woman. She also mounted the grown Klingon at an incredible speed. She twisted his hand back, nailed his head to a tabletop, then she nailed the warrior’s own dagger to his neck and whispered in Klingon her opponent's ear. Garak didn't really understand what she wanted to say.

The excitement is not over here. The former Cardassian spy raised himself a little to see better. The Klingons began to yell louder and louder at the pair wearing the red badge and approached them menacingly, but then two figures entered the bar. They also wore a red badge. One wore a red uniform and the other a green one. Their features were similar, and Garak also observed that they both wore the look alike rings. Pretty striking if he asked.

“Gentlemen!” The black-haired man said loudly. The dabo girls fluttered their lashes toward the two as shy little girls when they saw them. "I'm sure we've just became victim to some misunderstandings. Isn't that right, Enzo?

He addressed the question to the man in the golden uniform, who had thrown the Klingon a meter away.

The other newcomer walked over to the woman, then stroked his back gently.

“Let go of Kat! We don't want a mess on the first day. Keep it after the egg nogg instead.”

A woman named Kat slowly let go of her grip, but the Klingon wanted to protect his honor and attacked again… well would have. As he raised his arm, the man grabbed it and then grabbed the thick neck with his free hand. He looked deep into the warrior's eyes and spoke in a calm voice as he lifted the heavy body off the floor.

“I wouldn't do that.”

The other Klingons wanted to rush on them, but the black-haired one was so fast that they had no chance of going near them. He anointed their biggest opponent on the wall by the neck and held it there until he leaned in his face with a wicked grin.

“As has been said, we don’t want trouble. Tell your friends to retreat, otherwise I will rip your heart out, wring the blood out of it, and enjoy drinking the blood wine made from it!”

He slowly released the Klingon, who then laughed, patted the man on the back, and shouted blood wine to the company, roaring loudly. Garak stared at them from above, thinking he had a topic for the next joint lunch with Dr. Bashir. He had already colored the story itself, and it turned out well.

***

The holoroom was filled with the scent of pine, cinnamon-apple, lavender, roast turkey, and apple pie. The whole place was dressed in gold, green, and red. The program, created specifically for this special occasion, evoked the old Salvatore inn. In the huge living room, not far from the fireplace, a three-meter-high pine tree was erected, which was now decorated. Caroline coordinated the team as she hung her Christmas socks on every surface she could just hang on to.

Bonnie flew colorful spheres around the room with a few witches, which eventually fell into place. The Salvatore twins and Stephanie decorated the tree, while much of the company stayed at the bar to decorate it as well. Damon and Stefan were adept at the kitchen. With practiced gestures, they worked together spectacularly. The Salvatore wore a reindeer apron with antlers on his head. Stefan's apron stood with a pine tree and his hair was covered with a Santa's hat. Enzo was entrusted with salads. He had to do everything precisely, following the instructions in the recipe exactly, otherwise he would kill Stefan for a third time. Kai, compared to the chief engineer, tinkered with the holopanels to make even more space and adjusting the three holorooms. One hundred and fifty-six people had to fit in here, so he had something to look at. Steph sometimes walked over to them and exchanged tiny kisses that luckily Damon didn't see. Even after such a long time, it was hard to get used to for him that much-loved little girl is in marriage with his arch enemy, though word for word, the resurrection made good for Kai. 

Damon was never happier than he is now. Her two daughters arrived at the station on time and brought their children with them. Through the loopholes of magic, that is, more because of their genetic characteristics, hybrids were able to reproduce. Over time, generations of werewolves were born who made contact with witches and vampires. With some influence, the hybrids, so after three hundred years, were no longer a novelty. A whole new kind of creatures were created, with other abilities that needed special training. This is where the Salvatore Boarding School came into play. After a long vacillation, crying, begging, and threatening, Damon released his two daughters to run the school. Eve and Evelyn found a partner on Earth, and soon members of the Salvatore family were born, who have also grown up ever since. Eve had Anna and Jeremy there (Ew, she could have chosen a better name), while Evelyn had only one because she would take on her werewolf husband, Lahl. Neither of them could decide which caste of his supernatural beings belonged to the supernatural beings. Vampire, werewolf, witch, with some Q beat, angelic part. They have to come up with a new name slowly. And while her daughters needed blood to stay alive, their children no longer did.

Steph and Kai didn't want to start a family. Kai understandably doesn’t have a good experience with her own parents, and Stephanie didn’t think it was too good an idea to pass on what she had in it, since she didn’t even need it. Stephanie is immortal. In the end, everything went well for Damon. Mostly. This Christmas promised to be almost perfect.

By the time the boys were done with dinner, the female members of the Salvatore family had already spread out. A large, long table was set up in the dining room next to the kitchen. From the plates, through the cutlery, on the napkins, the coat of arms of the Salvatore family was also visible. Damon alone missed the snow. The external sites could no longer be reconstructed. The middle of the festive table was crumbling with lots of dripping delicacies, and of course the famous Salvatore pancakes couldn’t be missed. The turkey was still waiting in the oven to be ready, and the soup for the appetizer had already been brought by the “waiters”.

No one was wearing a uniform anymore. Caroline wore a sleek, shiny, light blue leggings that matched the latest earthly trends, and a color-matched, asymmetrical tunic. The upper left side reached to her hips and the right side reached to her knees. It wrapped her chest tightly around her, but gradually expanded down from there. As Stefan set the soup bowl down, he leaned over to his wife and kissed her lovingly on the neck before receiving an unearthly smile in return.

The space was filled with Kai's Christmas selection. He connected the holodeck’s communication panel to the station’s communication system so everyone on the Promenade and Command Bridge could hear ‘ _Let It Snow_ ’ be sung in Frank Sinatra’s performance, ‘ _Jingle Bell Rock_ ’, or Mariah Carry’s evergreen hit, ‘ _All I want for Christmas_ ’. It did not prevent communication and the assignment of commands, but rather provided only background music for the daily life of the station.

If anyone had entered the holodeck (which thankfully no one had done) he would have seen a large happy family. There were no artificial lights, only plenty of lit candles serving as light sources hovering in the air. At times, their lights shone on the Christmas decorations, drawing the whole place into a mystical twilight. Everyone around the huge table, laughing and sharing exciting stories, while the smaller kids bounced around the tree. They could already be full because they were laid out separately for them and they ate the part of the festive lunch that fell on them. (The captain paid special attention to them. He only served them food with impeccable courtesy that they all loved.) When everyone channeled their soup, Damon stood up, tapped his glass, and everyone faded.

“It's time to say a toast. I would tell newcomers that it is a Christmas tradition, modeled on Thanksgiving, for everyone to say why they say thank you, in addition to saying a few good words about someone they know. Who starts?”

Caroline wiped her lips and waved enthusiastically. Damon took a seat at the head of the table, with Stephanie sitting to his left, Kai next to her, and his wife, Bonnie, looking at him with a radiant face to his right. She was beautiful as always. Caroline sat at the other end of the table, next to Stefan, who was sitting opposite to Damon. This was their family. The two took responsibility for everyone, sharing the burden that came with it.

The first officer stood up, carried her gaze around, then raised her glass and began.

"I'm grateful we've just escaped our long journey in the Gamma Quadrant with skin. Thank you, Captain, for leading this crew so well. I am grateful that both of my daughters can still be here with us, despite the dangers we face day in and day out.” Josie and Lizzie smiled lovingly at their mother. “Let's see.” Caroline bit her lower lip. "I want to say a few nice things about Katherine this year." She raised an eyebrow in amazement. "Thank you for saving my life, not once. You’re a great strategist, and I know the planning of our missions is in good hands, because the Earth hasn’t carried more cunning than you on its back. You’re part of our family, Kat, and I’m very happy about that.”

There were tears in Katherine's eyes that she tried to hide, but she couldn't. She just murmured a soft thank you.

“Kitty Kat, you're coming!” Damon gestured to her. “Do you know what the rule is?”

"Oh, what a little eminence you became, Damon! But for once, I agree with it.”

Kat also stood up after Caroline returned to her seat. He pursed his lips with a mischievous grin and looked straight into the captain's eyes.

"Every year I say I'm grateful I got another chance from the main witch. I’m also grateful that Bonnie didn’t throw herself into Enzo’s arms as soon as he returned.” Bonnie let out a tired sigh. “That's how I got the best guy.” Stefan tried to stifle his laughter with wine, while Damon just snorted and Kai grinned broadly at them. Katherine kissed her husband, then straightened back. “Thank you, Caroline for the touching words, but I want to say a few kind words to Damon now.” There was a serious, honest expression on Katherine's face. He looked at her curiously and pulled himself out of his seat. “When you came up with the idea of exposing ourselves to the World Government, I was the one who protested the loudest. But I was born at an age where the burning of witches still came as an afternoon matinee.” Everyone let out a soft chuckle. "To my great surprise, you've always been the most foresighted of us. You have given purpose to our lives, and now I regret not having recognized your merits sooner at the time. You are the best person I have ever met. I say this as a nine hundred years old person. And I’m happy to belong to your family. I raise my glass to Captain Damon Salvatore!” Katherine raised her glass and the others followed. The company growled at the table, as they said at once:

“To the captain!”

Damon stood up, looked at his family, and his gaze settled on Bonnie. Even though three hundred and sixty years had passed, he still loved her just as much, if not better. The witch squeezed his hand encouragingly, then Damon began to speak.

“I guess it’s my turn.” He cleared his throat. “Ehmm. What can I say? That was nice guys!” Stefan just shook his head. "Um, Ensign Parc, the transporter trick was great."

The extremely young-looking man in the middle of the table muttered softly a "Thank you, Captain," then tried to sink as deep as he could. There were also legends about the captain in the Salvatore school and among the younger officers of the ship, and although he had heard of the vampire's extremely direct style, he had only now had the opportunity to experience it. After the Salvatore School, at the Starfleet Academy, he was taught that the hierarchy of a starship was sacred and inviolable. However, the situation was completely different at Redemption. More than once, he found that Commander Bennett had placed the captain on the bridge, in front of everyone's eyes, who had just crawled back into his office like a beaten dog. In addition, Captain Salvatore loved to have a drink in the canteen with the rest of the crew, never hiding his opinion, but he was always ready to listen to others. It was not easy to get used to. He who did not pick up the pace with the team soon found himself outside the sluice gate.

"Nadine, your cocktails still cheer up my long-dead heart. Just keep going and you’ll get the program code for Stefan’s granny mobile.” Damon continued.

A lieutenant in her twenties, with a really pretty face, grinned back wide at Damon, and those sitting next to her whistled and clapped loudly.

“So, I’m grateful for my great crew, my first officer for an excellent job,” He raised his glass to Caroline here. “that my brother is still with me.” He looked at Stefan. “Those seven years were long. I am grateful for every day I can spend with my family and finally I am grateful to be able to wake up every day next to the most wonderful woman in the universe for three hundred and fifty years.” He took Bonnie's hand, leaned a little closer to her, and kissed her fingers gently. “I choose Kai this year. I want to say a few kind words to him.” Damon took a deep breath and looked into Kai's eyes. "When we first met, I didn't like you, when I got to know you better, I hated you. Undoubtedly, it was one of the most satisfying experiences of my long life when I shook your head off.” Damon waved his hand into the air, mimicking the gesture of the shake off. "But my daughter loves you for some strange reason. She saw something in you that we didn’t notice, and I’m the last one who can blame you. You make Stephanie happy, you’re an excellent engineer, and you’ve pulled us out of the shit quite a few times already. Oh, and I love your sense of humor. To Kai!”

Damon raised his glass, took a sip, and the others did the same. Then Kai stood up. He smiled broadly.

“Few! Thanks… Dad.” Damon grimaced. "Well, I'm grateful that we've finally been able to reach grade 9.9. Thanks for that, Lia. I am especially grateful for the extra one-day break I received from the captain so I will happily spend an entire week with my dear wife at Raisa.” Stephanie chuckled softly. “Nice, kind words. Hmm…” He looked around, scanning his company with his index finger. He finally settled on Bonnie and turned to the witch with a wide smile. “Bonster! My favorite witch. What can I tell you? You are the soul and heart of the ship.” Bonnie raised her green eyes. “You are strong, beautiful, stubborn and extremely loyal. To this day, I can't comprehend why you're next to Damon.”

“Hey!” Said the older Salvatore.

“Calm down! Nevertheless, the relationship between the two of you has set an example for many of us. The respect and esteem that you treat each other affects us all, in a positive sense. You are stronger together, and that is inspiring. So, to you Bon!”

They emptied their glasses again. Bonnie was a little embarrassed, but she got up and she started too.

"The turkey will be ready soon, so I'll be brief. I am grateful that everyone can be together now, and despite the many losses, we can still smuggle joy into our daily lives. I’m grateful for my wonderful daughters, and of course Stephanie, and because my grandchildren — so weird to say this — have become great people. Well, almost people. And Damon. It doesn’t take me days not to say thank you for being by my side. For me, that means forever.” Bonnie and Damon exchanged kisses, several of them shyly turning their eyes away. “I do not want to choose from those present. I would like to say a few words about those who cannot be with us today for whom we have lit all these candles.” Bonnie looked at the candles floating on the ceiling, tears welling in her eyes. "Grams, the greatest woman I ever knew. Emily, who ultimately helped all of us find our destiny. Elena, who, despite what she did, eventually set us on the path we are on now. Without her knowledge, maybe we wouldn’t be fleet officers either, and we wouldn’t be half as many. Alaric, who also protected his children and the school with his last breath. Tyler, who had to deal with so much in his life, but was still there when we needed. Matt, the eternal hero of Mystic Falls. I’m so glad his descendants are still among us and haven’t changed their minds. Jeremy, who eventually stood by us and supported our family in everything. And I hope that somewhere Lucifer will live his life happily with the chosen one of his heart, as will Castillus and Quetsiyah. We will never forget them. I empty my glass on them and choose Stefan.”

Everyone drank from their glasses, then Stefan began his festive greeting.

“I am grateful for my wife, who is able to dazzle me again and again every day. I am grateful for my brother for always standing by me and never letting me fall. I give thanks every day because I no longer have to struggle with darkness. I am grateful to the Federation for being promoted to ambassador despite my special position and for every day I can spend aboard the ship among the people I love. I'm choosing Stephanie now.” Stefan paused for a moment to gather his thoughts. "I always knew there was a special relationship between us. We see the world the same way, and in your heart is not only kindness, but also the ability to understand. You have received a gift that I think we all dream of, and you use your ability wisely. Many times I think you are above all of us. I'm proud to be your uncle. Let's empty our glasses on Stephanie!”

And so they did. Tears rolled down Stephanie's eyes. Her friends and family were happy. She felt boundless love from everyone, peace, serenity, and happiness. She couldn’t put her own joy into words, so she closed her eyes and concentrated. She shared it with everyone around the table what she felt today, and it was like a miracle. She connected them all so they could see each other’s thoughts and feel love too. When she opened her eyes, she saw people embracing. Her plan achieved its goal. She cleared her throat and stood up.

“I could never put my feelings and thoughts into words. I didn’t need it for a long time, but I’m going to try it now. Thanks Dad for forcing me every year. Damon shrugged. - Let's see. I’m grateful we managed to dock at Deep Space Nine. Thus, I was able to communicate with the prophets and the bajorans through one of the crystals. It was an old desire of mine. Unfortunately, I can’t talk about my crystal experience, only with the chosen one. But I will be needed with him. I am grateful that, by some miracle, the ship was also managed to home every time. Always a little worn out, but at least occasionally intact. I am grateful for my sisters, for their children, and brothers. And although I miss my mother a lot sometimes, I couldn’t have found a better replacement than Aunt Bonnie in search of. In truth, we cannot exist without each other. Since Dad was on the table today,” she turned to Katherine,“ I chose you, my sister.” Emilia looked into her radiant blue eyes and smiled kindly. “I remember a startled little girl who woke up from one of the worst nightmares of her life, and I remember a strange aunt who reassured me and shared her most beautiful memory with me. I didn't even realize what was happening then. Later, I realized you broke the time loop with that, but that’s a different story. I found Mrs. Cuddle anyway and then gave it to you. Lia, you're the craziest of us, and I say that I know our father's past. You were able to smash a comp to rip to prove how badass you are. But you are also the most helpful and kindest. You always pay attention to us and take responsibility for us, even though you are not the oldest of us. I'm emptying my glass for you Emilia Salvatore - Bennett.

Lia stood up quickly, not even waiting for people to put down their glasses.

"There's nothing in my life that I can't be grateful for. I love you all and I couldn’t even imagine my life outside of Redemption. But since I have to choose someone, I want to say nice things about Enzo this year. If you’re not by my side on the last mission, I’m not standing here right now, though in principle I’m the stronger one. You always keep half your eyes on us. You are to us like a secret bodyguard who has put his life up to protecting the next generation of Salvatore from all trouble. Thank you for this, Uncle Enzo.”

Enzo stood up too.

“Well, I'm grateful to be here. I feel like I got everything from life I just wanted.” He took Katherine's hand and kissed her. "You, love, who sometimes needs to be raised a little, but it's exciting with you every day, and I'll never be bored. I can be with my best friend, and we finally don’t want to kill each other with Stefan either. The Blondie has also become quite bearable over the last three hundred years.” Caroline snorted. "So, it's good to be here with you, though I think we're all thinking. If we don’t have Christmas on Raisa next year, there will be a riot on the boat.” The whole table burst into loud laughter. "I chose Eve this year. Of the Salvatore twins, you’re the one who impresses me the most, and that’s a big word because you’re a big Klingon fangirl.” Eve smiled shyly. "You never hide your feelings, you're always straight with everyone. You stand up for others, even if they made a mistake. You inherited a lot from your mother, but in you has more like your father than you think. You don’t have to think next to you whether it said good or not. You tell people what you think. You stubbornly cling to your principles, and despite your intense temperament, you are somehow able to do the right thing. I'm sorry we rarely see each other.”

Now came Eve. He began to gesture fiercely. Her movements were almost the same as Damon's, her oily skin almost vibrating.  
"I'm grateful to be able to run Salvatore School. Many lost children are still coming to us who are in great need of our support. I am grateful for my great husband and my two beautiful children. And since no one has dared to say so far, I will do it for you now.” Bonnie knew immediately what her daughter was thinking and looked at her with round eyes. She nudged Damon, who had just spoken, but Eve spoke sooner. “I'm grateful to the Q continuum, too. If they didn’t exist, none of us would be here.”

As soon as those words were uttered, a tall man with brown hair appeared in the far half of the room, accompanied by a flash. He had a thick mouth, a high forehead, and a marked chin. He stretched in a Starfleet uniform next to the dining room table. Bonnie and Damon held their heads, Stefan rolled his eyes, Caroline growled angrily in front of her, Enzo and Katherine sighed resignedly. Apparently, no one was so happy with the arrival of the stranger except the Salvatore sisters.

Lia pushed her chair back in a breeze and immediately threw herself around the man's neck.

“Q! I already thought you wouldn't come!”

"Would I miss such a great event?" Q replied. "I was just waiting for the right time."

Eve, Lynn, Steph, even Diane walked over to them. Eve hugged the newcomer from behind. Lynn's face brightened as well, and Stephanie only touched her face. At the table, Bonnie turned back and looked sternly at Q.

"If you put your foot out of here, or try to get upset Captain Sisko in any way, you'll spend your entire eternity in a petri dish like a kunari amoeba."

“Mom!” Lia said. “We are happy for you Q. Come sit with us!”

“Oh, I just jumped in for a few moments. I just wanted to see your wellbeing. And just to let you know Bon-Bon, I already had another Starship captain I could dizzy. I can assure you she is much prettier than Benjamin.”

Bonnie pursed her lips. Nothing good came from Q showing up anywhere.

"Now let me hand over my gift, and then I can return to my quiet solitude in the continuum."

Q snapped his hand. The room with the festive table disappeared and the crew found themselves on a sandy beach. The older Salvatore stood in front of the man, losing his patience.

"Take us back now, or I'll incite the witches on you!"

“Calm down, mon capitain! Didn’t your dear friend mention that you better want to celebrate at Raisa?”

"The guy says something," Enzo said.

Q grinned, and on another move, the crew found themselves on comfortable deck chairs with a cocktail in their hand. Damon was conveniently located.

“After all, we can stay for a while.” He took a sip from his cocktail.

"All right, Q. I'll admit, it wasn’t a bad idea for once," Bonnie added.

Q himself was already standing in a Bermuda shorts, unbuttoned over it with a white shirt and a straw hat on his head.

“Here you can enjoy the sunshine, the sea, the delicious cocktails.”

"You know, we have a tradition," Stefan told him. He stood in front of Q with his arms folded, troubled wrinkles on his forehead.

"And here's our party killer," Enzo said. “Just enjoy Stef for a while. Q will take us back to where and when we came from.”

Caroline also sat on a deck chair with a cocktail that looked very tasty in her hand.

"Ha," she let out a sigh. “Come on Stef! Who knows how long we can enjoy this wonderful day?”

Stefan shrugged indulgently and joined his family. They stayed there for a while. They played through the traditional toasts. Eve finally chose Lizzie, who threw the ball to Josie as expected. Josie chose Lieutenant Peterson as one of the researchers. They’ve been around each other for a long time, but the heretic vampire-witch hasn’t dared to stand on a rope yet. She hadn't found a worthy pair since Rafael. Lieutenant Peterson said nice things about Milton, who eventually chose Diane. Diane spoke little, but it was concise and marrowy.

“I am grateful for every day I can spend with my family, and I want to say toast to Lieutenant Tarok for his commitment to join the crew. It is rare for an extraterrestrial species to decide to wear the red badge. Live long and purpose!”

After everyone gave their little speech and drank their cocktails, Q took them back to the holodeck.

“I thought it would be better fun, but this salivating tradition finished my non-existent stomach. I'm going to say hello to Benjamin. He will be delighted to see me.”

“No!” Bonnie shouted at him. "Please don't cause a fuss now! They have enough trouble without your presence.” Bonnie had a great idea then. “But you could do something that would shake up the station well enough, and we’d be extremely grateful, too.”

The Bennett witch went closer to Q and only mentally conveyed her intention that others wouldn't hear! A devilish grin appeared on Q's face. He seemed to like Bonnie's suggestion very much.

“Merry Christmas to everyone!”

With that, he snapped one and disappeared with a white flash. Damon leaned over to Bonnie.

“What with did you shake him off?”

The witch smiled mysteriously at her husband.

“You'll see! Let's finish dinner now.”

***

Captain Sisko thoughtfully spun a seemingly ancient baseball ball in his hand. Except for a minor incident with the Klingons, the presence of Redemption has not been a problem at the station yet. Although some complained that they were disturbed by the music, Benjamin was surprised to note that he really liked the familiar melodies flowing through the comm system, so he did not urge maintenance work. Even he himself began to hum the ‘White Christmas’, and the Christmas mood slowly spread to the people at the station. He remembered that maybe this year he too could replicate a Christmas tree and celebrate with Jake.

His badge began to vibrate.

“Captain! You won't believe what's going on!” O’Brian’s voice came.

Ben pressed his badge.

“Say it, Chief!”

“You must see this, sir! Come quickly to Quark’s bar until we can open the door.”

“Acknowledged. I'm already there!”

He got to the bar in a few minutes and really didn’t want to believe his eyes. The chairs and tables were gone, and there was no sign of the Dabo table. It wouldn’t even have been so weird, but the snow fell from the ceiling, or from somewhere above, in dense, large flakes. They were already wading at least six inches high into the white snow cover when they entered the door.

The members of the Redemption crew played with self-forgetfulness. Their captain was apparently having a lot of fun. He built a snow wall and from there launched his snowballs to “enemy troops”. One of the missed snowballs had just landed on Sisko's chest. At first, he was surprised, but then he laughed out loud. He didn't even remember the last time he saw snow.

Stephanie waved cheerfully at them.

“Come on, Captain, join us! It won't last long.”

Ben looked at the others. Julian and Miles were completely delighted by the sight. Kira and Odo stood shocked at the entrance, while Quark just complained loudly and cursed. Captain Sisko shrugged.

"I'm in a good little battle, Captain!" O’Brian said.

"I think it would be a great experience to try out what this snow is like," Dr. Bashire added.

"Then gentlemen," Benjamin gestured forward, "snow up!"

Quark's bar was loud with laughter. Everyone was merrily immersed in perhaps the most beautiful gift of the winter. This is how it was given that the Redemption crew had been able to celebrate White Christmas for a very long time.

***

Stephanie suddenly woke up. She dreamed very pleasantly. But she wasn't sure it was just a dream. The sun was shining through the curtains. It was morning. She still didn’t understand what her dream might mean, as she was only five years old. But she was sure there was someone somewhere right now waiting to be saved. For him, she will be the fairy princess, and the man will become her hero knight.

As she rubbed the dream out of her eyes, she jumped out of bed and went to her desk. She took a clean piece of paper from a drawer and then got a felt-tip pen in her hand. She closed her eyes and began to write. Her hand moved by itself. She barely knew the letters, but when she finished her work, one name was clearly discernible on paper: Malachai.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo, i am so afraid about what do you think. (That happen when you write TVD fanfiction and watch the ST: Discovery at the same time:p) I know i recall another fandom into this, but i couldn't drop the idea. I am a huge trekkie. My favourite, the Voyager.(of course because of Seven of Nine) And i hope the future what Gene Roddenberry dreamed of will be real. I want to live that future instead of post apocalyptic world. I have faith in the development of humanity so i need to believe that in the far future we will be able to become a race who can make a peacefull world where our grandchildren can live better. I am a hoplessly idealistic. 
> 
> And it was Christmas. The celebration of love for me. The family the most important thing in my life. And i wanted to show this throught my story. I hope you liked it. Happy celebration for everyone:))) Than you guys for your support:) A huge hug for everyone:)


	17. Sixty seconds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My dearest readers! I come back!!! Here is the new chapter:)) It will be short, because this is just a connecting chapter between two parts of the story. The threads of the plot are intertwined and we head towards the endgame. But this is just the beginning. In the next chapters will be more focus on Lucifer and the storyline. Damon and Bonnie will let behind a little bit but not much insteed we will have some Steroline moments. 
> 
> The Christmas Special edition isnt necessery to read, but if you want i tied it with the main storyline. 
> 
> And as always, have a joyful read:)) If you want to support me, please leave a comment or a Kudo. I would be honored. And i thank you for the readers who already did. I am so so happy when i see your comments or i get a Kudo. That means to me a lot. Thanks guys:D Hug:)))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Time (...)  
> too slow for those waiting  
> too fast for those who are afraid  
> too long for those who mourn  
> too short for those who rejoice.  
> But for those who love  
> time does not matter.
> 
> /Henry Van Dyke/

Chapter 16  


**Sixty Second  
**

Sixty seconds. That was all it took for Elena to grasp what she saw on the screen. It took her a minute, then the picture came together in front of her.

After she left home, she immediately sent a sample from Damon to the DNA analyzer and placed some of it in the centrifuge so that the components could be separated well, but most of the sample fell into Mrs. Greasley's hands. Elena still didn't know what role the Triad company had in the experiments.

She didn't eat or sleep all night. She felt this was the longest night of her life. She lost her husband, her friends in one day, and with that, she had a good chance of lost her daughter too. Based on what Damon said, everyone turned against her, and if that hadn’t happened yet, after what she did sooner or later, it would. There was nothing left for her but the work.

She was aware that if she sucked the antidote from the exvampire, the man would soon catch up with his actual age. How ironic that it happened to him just the day before his birthday. But Elena was also sure the others wouldn't let him die. They’ll come up with some solution to keep the older Salvatore (who they love so much now) alive. She had no idea her ex-husband had been shot.

In the lab, she focused only on his work. She didn’t give herself a chance to think about the events of the past day. She did her tasks automatically. She scrubbed the pots, checked the instruments, ran routine checks. By the time she was done, it was almost sunrise. It was around this time that Damon's complete transformation could take place.

While she waited for the DNA analysis to complete, she lay down on the couch for a while. That's when she noticed how tired she was. Her whole body trembled, her limbs ached, sharp pain in her back as she tried to change position, and her stomach chilled constantly. She barely ate anything. She only made a few sandwiches for herself at home, but she couldn't eat them either. She didn't expect that at all. Somewhere she hoped that even if they parted ways with Damon, they could remain friends as Stephanie would connect them for a lifetime. She had no idea how the man found her diary. She carefully hid it in one of the tiny recesses behind the tombstone.

Somehow, however, her secrets came to light, and based on the way her husband looked at her, nothing good could be expected. Elena was overwhelmed with anger as she remembered what Damon was whispering in her ear, and guilt didn't bother her so much anymore. What he told her about Bonnie hurt her a thousand times more than anything else in her life so far. She felt betrayed. She warmed a snake on her chest, which was now bitten her. 

If Damon had said he had an affair with the new bartender girl or anyone else, she could have endured it better. In fact, she would have understood if he even getting tangled up with Caroline. She could have dealt with this problem more easily. Two weeks of door slams, then everything returns to normal. But Bonnie was dangerous. Ever since Damon came back from the prison world, Elena had felt like she had somehow slipped back on the older Salvatore’s priority list, and she didn’t like it very much. Was that selfish on her part? Yes, but she didn't care. After what she went through, she deserved the love that lasted to the grave.

Waking up to the fact that Stefan is dead and everyone is living their own little life has made Elena lonely. With Kai pulling her out of the equation, life really didn’t stop. Before she was finally immersed in the coma, at the moment of her farewell, she hoped that by the times she woke up, Damon, Stefan, and Caroline would greeted her with erupting joy, which would help through the grief, as her return would result in Bonnie's death. But that's not what happened. There was no welcoming party, Stefan died and Bonnie was alive. Things between Caroline and the younger Salvatore became so serious that they even got married before the man died. And Damon made friends. Elena felt lonely. Somehow, everyone seemed to have a better thing to do than care about how she felt.

Alaric and Caroline were booked by the school and the twins, Matt barely had time to her, Bonnie was gone, and Damon… Well, Damon changed. For Elena, this change was scary. She used to think that was what she wanted, but she soon realized that the “new” Damon Salvatore was better than her. She lost her moral superiority over the man, which became very frustrating. She couldn't talk to anyone about it honestly. At least that's how he felt. Caroline, Damon, and Bonnie got so close that Elena was afraid they wouldn't give her truth.

Now that she thought about it better, it wasn't the love that kept her next to the older Salvatore. As the elderly say, it will sooner or later pass. As you grow up, you realize that love up to the grave does not exist. If the relationship does not deepen, there is nothing left but a blunt emptiness. Elena was terrified of loneliness, so she clung to her fingernail to what was left of her.

After that, however, there was nothing left for her. She lost everything. It was now realized in her that at the same time she might have lost the most valuable treasure of her life, her daughter. However, before she was too immersed in grief, the instrument indicated that DNA analysis was complete.

Elena shut down the machine and immediately transferred the data to the central computer. He instructed KARL to make a 3D model of the DNA sample as a function of the data. It took a few minutes. In the meantime, she sought analysis of blood samples from subject 21051. She wanted to compare the two results. She wondered how the antidote worked. Elena had a conjecture about supernatural beings for a while, but she would have needed additional samples to prove her assumption. For now, this opportunity seemed to fly away.

The modeling is complete and the computer has projected the 3D model. Elena stared with her mouth open at the multi-magnified superhelix pattern, then pressed a button and the other appeared in front of her. She just stared for a minute. The samples from subject 21051 were not exactly the same as she expected, but there was something else in the sequences that she had somehow not noticed so far.

It was as if Damon's DNA was full of inactive genes. Human DNA contains 23 chromosome pairs, whereas the current sample is double that, and even in the past it was 2x46 chromosome numbers. Damon's blood was really special. In addition to the genotypes responsible for human appearance, it also contained vampire genes and something else. There still seemed to be a segment of the male gene pool that remained inactive for the time being. Elena's conjecture about Damon has now been confirmed. She did not dare to state with 100% certainty until further investigation, but now she has more evidence in her hands. Damon Salvatore was never human.

**~*~  
**

Sixty seconds. It took so long for Caroline to realize that what she saw was reality and not just a good imagination. For a minute she just stood there in the patio door with her feet rooted to the ground. She didn't even notice the fancy company now standing around Bonnie. Her blue eyes clung to the man who was now fraternally palming his brother's back.

Upstairs, in the wardrobe room, she found a relatively large sports bag and packed some clothes for Stephanie and her father. She was already routinely moving in her niece and brother-in-law's room as well. It was not the first time she had packed them. As she packed up, at the same time she was glad that the “dynamic duo” had finally moved towards each other, on the other hand she was angry about what Elena had done. There was some faint fear that Bonnie and Damon would be stuck in the friend zone forever because they were both stubbornly clinging to their resolutions, but they finally managed to get out of the unblessed state.

The catalyst was clearly Elena. Because of this, however, she became so angry that he would have preferred to tear the woman apart. There was anger and now hatred. Everything bad that happened to them was somehow related to the girl. They have only suffered no major losses since the Gilbert girl was no longer part of the events. And that ungrateful bitch thanks it all by putting her husband in mortal danger… again! At the same time, she put the school’s students at risk. Caroline was hungry. Very hungry.

When she felt she had given the love birds enough time, step down to the downstair with the bag in her hand. By the time she reached the door of the patio, she would have already opened her mouth to make a funny, pungent remark, but the word stocked in her throat. She saw Damon's back as he hugged someone. It took her two seconds for her brain to process who was around whose neck his brother-in-law's hands were intertwined, and in the remaining 58 she wanted to convince herself that what she saw was just a loss of eyesight. But a similar miracle had happened to them so many times that she no longer doubted it.

Caroline and Stefan's eyes twitched. The blonde vampire could hear and see nothing but her husband in front of her. She didn't care how it happened. She didn't care when. All that mattered was getting him back. They walked slowly toward each other, as if afraid that if they took their eyes off each other, one of them would disappear. Damon, meanwhile, pulled back. He quickly wiped away his tears and nodded to Stefan, but Caroline didn't sense it. They stared at each other for a long second, seemingly endless, and then they fell into each other's arms. Their lips boiled in a passionate kiss. A voice didn't leave their throats, only the clatter of their mouths. Caroline felt that anything could come now, she could have died at that moment. She sucked in Stefan's scent; she didn't even know how to touch him. It seemed she wants to merge with him.

All her sorrows, anger, worries were gone in this moment. Only the beloved man existed for her. They stood in place for minutes with fused lips as Damon cleared his throat. The older Salvatore seemed to be slowly getting answers now. Caroline slowly steps back from Stefan a little. With a wide smile, she wrapped her arms around his face while the other rested his hands on her waist.

“Hey!” She whispered.

“Hey!”

Then the smile turned to an angry grimace and Caroline made a snap slap on her husband. Damon immediately grew up among them because the blonde vampire almost rush on his brother. By this time, Bonnie had joined them. The others whispered in the background. Lucifer made a muffled chuckle, Mazikeen nodded appreciatively, Amenadiel was completely confused, and Castillus cut a face like he knew everything about everything.

“How could you do this to me!” Caroline snapped out of herself. Stefan, meanwhile, grabbed his face. “On our wedding day ?!”

Damon had a hard time with holding back the vampire. The Blondie proved more than once that if she was angry, she could be even stronger than him. As a fury, she wanted to scratch her husband's eyes.

“Caroline!” Damon filtered through his teeth as he grabbed her arms from behind, and Bonnie jumped in front of Stefan like a living shield.

“Leave me alone!”

Stefan finally realized why his wife was so angry. He pushed Bonnie away from him and looked straight into the eyes of his love with a penitential face.

“I'm sorry. But then that was the right decision.”

Caroline's resistance weakened.

“I said I understood, but that's not true!”

“I did it for you, for the twins, for our home, for Elena…”

Well, the blonde vampire's brain blew up again.

“That bitch doesn't deserve anything! Burn in the fire of hell! I wish her that!”

Damon glared at Bonnie with one eye and shrugged. The witch rolled her eyes.  


“I agree with you, Blondie. But Stefan can't help that Elena went to the dark side of the Force.”

Caroline gasped, but she no longer wanted to break out of her brother-in-law's grip. Stefan looked at them in shock, then turned to Bonnie.

“What did I miss?”

The witch shrugged.

“A lot of things. It’s a long story that requires a good deal of bourbon,” came the response from Bonnie.

Stefan just nodded.

“Why?! Why?!”

Tears of anger now flowed from Caroline's eyes. Stefan looked at her and knew the right answer now. The answer he had asked himself many times. Elena had little to do with this.

"For my brother," came the simple reply. "I'm sorry, Caroline, but I couldn't live without him." Stefan looked at Damon. “He's…

That's when Castillus came there.

“Your brother. Blood from your blood, flesh from your flesh. Whatever happens, you will be bound together for a lifetime, and beyond.”

Shock is not a good enough word for what Caroline and Stefan felt. Although the younger Salvatore was already lucky enough to meet Silus, even that was a lot for him. He just yawned because he couldn't formulate a meaningful thought right now.  


“How? Who? What?”

The blonde vampire, on the other hand, began to put the picture together. She looked at Bonnie, who frowned at Lucifer, confused.

Caroline was completely calm by now. She didn't want to kill her husband anymore. Her anger at the loss erupted from her, but it passed away. Nevertheless, she knew there was still a great conversation ahead of them. Her attention was more on the newcomers.

She recognized Lucifer, knowing nothing about the black man standing next to him and the woman grimacing mockingly. She suspected the Damon doppelganger that this was the guy Bonnie had told them about yesterday. Although, according to her friend, he should be dead. True, Stefan shouldn't be standing here either. Caroline took a deep breath.

"Someone would finally explain what the hell is going on here!"

"And it wouldn't hurt to set a priority list!" Damon added.

Bonnie got her head.

“Fuck, priority! I found the lab.”

Damon glared at the witch.  


“I guessed it somehow. Despite my express request, you used your not exactly atomic safe psychic abilities.”

“Oh, come on! I had no problem. I practiced.”

"If you say… And as I look, you warmed up so much with the devil that he was willing to come after you." Bonnie let out a tired sigh. "But why did everyone gather in my backyard?"

Castillus raised his finger.

“If I may intervene. The numbers are still incomplete.” He looked at the hedge surrounding the garden. “You could finally come out now! Your disguise spell is terrible. I can hear your thoughts from miles away!”

Everyone headed for the hedge. Nothing happened for a while, then the back garden gate opened and four beautiful women entered through it, in a line of geese. They walked slowly across the grass toward the ornate company. They were dressed in weird, long dresses, but what bothered the Carolines the most was that they all looked the same. Raven-black hair, caramel-colored skin, a heart-shaped face, and bright blue eyes, just like Damon's.

"We're starting to get a little crowded," Damon whispered to Bonnie.

Amenadiel finally moved. He stood in front of one of the women and began to speak to her anxiously.

"You said, you go back to where you came from?"

“Unfortunately, we can't. Intervention became inevitable. Knowing the events, it is our duty to help break the curse.”

Stefan, who recognized the angel, was now shaking his head completely helplessly. He leaned over to Damon.

“I think it's going to be a long day.”

“Oh! And you still owe me an apology for cheating on me! But I think we can wait with that.”

“Seriously, Damon. You could have been human again.”

“Bad focus, little brother.” Damon cut a face like he was very defeated. "I could have been human again," he said in a mocking, deep voice.

“Come on! You got the chance to live happily with Elena.”

Bonnie snorted and Damon frowned angrily.

"I don't even want to hear that woman's name for a while!"

Stefan was shocked by his brother's words.

“You can't say that seriously!”

Damon put his arm around his brother's shoulder.

“Oh, Stef! You have to make up for a lot of things in a very short time! So let’s start with the fact that Elena and I aren’t together and never will be. In fact, you'd better not even mention her name in front of Caroline. More details later.”

Meanwhile, Bonnie bit her lower lip, thinking that these people had come here. She stepped in front of Lucifer to question him.

“What is this all about?”

The devil watched the events with casual elegance, his hands pocketed. He was visibly amused by the chaos that had developed. He didn't bother at all. He will slowly have to face the anger of the witch and her own offspring for lying to them. Honestly, he wanted to postpone this as late as possible.

"I only came because I promised to help an old acquaintance of mine. Amenadiel helped resurrect the good-looking brother, and Mazikeen undertook to be my bodyguard forever. I think that also includes accompanying me to this little nest of dirt you call Mystic Falls. Seriously now, there's not even a regular strip club here. What can be done at all?”

Bonnie didn't get ahead with the answer.

"How is Castillus alive? You said he was dead.”

"No, all I said was that he sacrificed himself. What sacrifice he made was not spoken. Technically, that wasn't a lie.”

“Lucifer!” Bonnie growled.

The devil raised his hand defensively.

“All right, witch! It is possible that I put it somewhat, deliberately, to believe that my offspring is dead. But just for the good.”

“Your offspring?”

"The unexpected outcome of a really hot adventure."

“That's why he's a half-angel.”

Lucifer nodded while Mazikeen sat at the table. The hot demon wasn't really interested in the drama unfolding around them. He had a good time, but his palm was already itchy to hit someone. He glanced in the direction of Damon, who stared at the four women in thought. The younger Salvatore walked over to the blonde vampire and grabbed his hand, then clasped their fingers together. Maze had nausea. Exceptionally, Amenadiel did not annoy them, but argued fiercely with one of the unknown women. Or he tried to argue with him, because the other statue, with a stiff face, answered back to the black angel almost in sentences. There was a tension in the garden as if a bomb had exploded within seconds. Mazikeen enjoyed this. He turned back to Bonnie and asked her what she was really curious about.

“Tell me, Bon! Did you manage to confess your unquenchable love for the Castillus doppelganger?”

Bonnie immediately turned to the demon.

“Where does it come from now?”

Maze winked at Lucifer.

“Come on! I saw him smell your neck when we came. Tell me!”

They didn’t choose a good time to play with the Bennett witch. At the moment, she didn't even know where her head was. She was confused, hadn't slept all night, and hadn't yet recovered from the fact that the man she loved more than anyone in the world had died for lack of a hair because of the woman she once loved as her sister. She could feel the magic waves flooding her body, but she was trying to control herself. Maze's human body would not have survived a real witch attack, and since the demon had no soul, they could not have brought her back.

“This is not your business!” The witch filtered through her teeth. “I told you a thousand times to drop the subject! This is not the most important thing at the moment.”

“All right, well! No need to piss off!”

Bonnie sent her a mocking smile, closing the subject. She and Damon had a long conversation ahead of them, but before that they had to find out what was going on here.

Damon thought in the meantime. He looked around the garden and tried to survey the groups. He was looking for one person who could know everyone. Judging by Lucifer's reactions, the devil won’t be his man. The tall black man who had taken Enzo seemed more and more likely, but somehow he wasn't sure. The big angel couldn't stand on the heights of the situation either. The older Salvatore looked at his doppelganger. He seemed to be the only collected creature from the fancy company, though he may be worried that for a long time he had to relive what it was like when blood clots exploded in his head because of him. 

Damon closed his eyes. Sixty seconds. It took him so long to think about what to do. He ran through his brain the events that had happened since Stephanie’s birthday. It was as if the fact that her daughter had reached the age of five had triggered a series of cosmic events. He divorced. Even if it’s not official, with some vampire compelling, the process can be speeded up. It turns out that the devil exists and the Travelers want his little daughter, then the Augustine experiments, a curse, his death, then Bonnie's confession (which took a really high place on the "My Most Beautiful Moments in Life" list), and finally Stefan's resurrection not to mention the living, walking exact copy of him. But the chaos had to be controlled.

He had to lead everyone to the Salvatore school, even the disturbingly pretty, strangely familiar girls. Something was very wrong with them, and Damon was worried about that something. As much as he wanted to have a crumbling, drinking brother's bonding with Stefan, he still had to wait. Currently, their most important task is to free the students. He needed Bonnie for that. They will have to come up with a ready-made plan as soon as possible. They can then deal with the doppelgangers, the devil, and their newly arrived guests.

It was in the very sixtieth second that he opened his eyes and roared to himself.

“Please pay some attention!” He turned to everyone. "I have no idea who you are," he pointed to the four women, "but we're not going to discuss here or now." Waving his hand, he led Lucifer, Mazikeen, Amenadiel, and Castillus to each other, who were so surprised that someone instructed them in such a way that they didn’t used to. “You followed us to the school. If you were able to come this far, it won’t be really hard to get to the end of the Old Miller Road.” He pointed to Stefan and Caroline now. "Blondie, you and Stefan went on your car! Enlighten my little brother about important changes along the way. I'm going with Bon-Bon with my little baby.” Then he looked at the girls. "You didn't seem too dangerous, but I already had surprises in life."

Lia and Eve spoke at the same time.

“We just want to help!”

“We've also heard that a couple of times.”

“They really came to help!” Amenadiel interrupted in a resounding voice.

“Thanks, Hightower.”

Dianna cleared her throat.

“If you allow me, Mr. Salvatore!” Damon gestured to her, indicating that she could speak. "My name is Dianna," she pointed to her sisters, "and they are my sisters." Lia, Eve and Evelyn. We know a lot about you, but unfortunately, we can't reveal our source of information yet. We came to help because they will be in great danger soon.”

One of the girls began to wave with a fierce, wide smile. Her face shone like she had a Jackpot. The other two tried to look anywhere shyly, eyes downcast, but Damon. To one, as if tears glistened in her eyes. A woman named Dianna, on the other hand, looked straight into his eyes, and for some reason Damon remembered his mother. Lily Salvatore was just as proud and stood straight in front of people when she had determined intentions with something.

Damon nodded at them.

"Then the magic twins can follow us to the school. If you might try anything, keep in mind that two vampires, a witch and a piece of the devil — here the older Salvatore turned to Lucifer with half-raised upper lips — who will apparently like Armani instead of horns and an iron fork, will accompany us on our way. I wouldn’t make a mess with us in your seats.”

Damon clapped his palms, looked around, and when he saw that no one was moving, he made herding movements with his hands.

“Go Go! Time is pressing on us!”

Castillus smiled only under his mustache. He felt some pride. He spread his huge wings and had already caught up Lucifer, and Amenadiel followed suit with Mazikeen. The others stared at them with their mouths open as they left.

"I'm officially impressed," Damon said.

Bonnie stepped beside him and put her hand on his arm.

“Can we go then?”

“Yes, Bon-bon. It's time to reheat my baby again.”

The witch gently nudged the vampire and winked, gesturing with her head, then they walked toward the garage. Stefan looked at Caroline with folded arms, a questioning look. She smiled toward Damon and Bonnie. 

"So," Stefan began, "he's not with Elena, and now…

Caroline rolled her eyes.

“What do you think?”

“Aha! I seem to be really behind.”

The blonde vampire laughed mischievously.

“Not so much. Come!” She took Stefan's hand and directed it toward her car. "I'll try to tell you everything you need to know along the way."

The girls looked at each other helplessly, except Diane. There were unexpected and inexplicable tears in her eyes. She wouldn’t have thought it would be so emotionally stressful to meet the people who were dearest to her heart.

**~*~  
**

Sixty seconds, one minute. That's all it takes to make big decisions. It took so long for Lucifer to decide to go to Lilith and ask her to release his promise.

Sixty seconds. That's how long Diane was holding the time crystal in her hand when she visited the Shrine of Kahles on the planet of Boreth. She expected to see her future, but the crystal showed her the past. She saw through the crystal what would happen if they did not go back. Lots of unnecessary sacrifice and sorrow, destruction and hopelessness.

It took her a minute to convince her brother-in-law to make a new ascendant using the time crystal. But it wasn’t even that long enough to convince her sisters to follow her into the past.

Sixty seconds. It took so long for Castillus to perceive the sisters ’consciousness, and even someone he didn’t want to talk about yet.

And sixty seconds passed before Kai decided to start after the sisters because there was nothing more important to him than protecting Stephanie Lillian Salvatore’s life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, i know, it was short. But the next chapter will be longer, i promise. If you read the Special Edition you knew who are the girls. But if you didnt you figure it out soon. My favourite part was Caroline reaction:) I thought about it a lot, but i would react the same way and i literally threw my slipper to the screen when i saw the last episode of the show. Why did they do to them? Didnt the brothers suffer enought? Didnt they loose so much? So, yes i would be pissed off a little bit. The brothers bond, the long conversations and the Stephanie/Damon conversation waiting for us. And i didnt forget the Travelers. ;) 
> 
> I will be glad if you write some nice words for support. What do you think about the chapter and the newcomers? I am very curious. And of course have a nice reading and they and year:D Hug and kisses:D


	18. Let's talk about it!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dearest readers:)) I came back with a new chapter. I loved to write it:D There will be some important conversations, Steroline and Bamon moments (Belvafore forever!) and Bonnie find out who are the four mysterious women. An old aquaintence shows up in the chapter. He comes to help them in this time:)) It will be wierd the trime travel in this story but i wanted to show their future in some way. We started in the past but i think is more intresting to see them in the future. And so many things await us:D Bamon is a never ending story and i hope this ship will never die:D Are you with me?:) If you sayy yes than left Kudos or/and leave a comment:D I love your support:D And thank you for follwing me on the path of my Bamon:))

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You ask me  
> how was i waiting for you
> 
> Like the night  
> the sun is shining  
> like in the afternoon  
> dusk is coming  
> as if indicated by a breeze  
> the spinning  
> from a thousand tiny signs  
> I knew you came.
> 
> Like a spring morning  
> the sun's rays  
> frosty winter evening  
> the smell of an icicle,  
> like the taste of an apple,  
> milk, bread  
> and I haven't seen you yet,  
> I knew you that way.
> 
> Like light into shadow,  
> shower of flowers,  
> like a stream in a riverbed,  
> bird on the branch  
> like sighing at summer night  
> the trees are the  
> better than you all  
> so i loved you.
> 
> /Zsuzsa Beney: Mother singing/

Chapter 17

**Let’s talk about it!**

Caroline chattered. She poured out the words unstoppably, almost without a breath, and Stefan listened in silence. He watched as the woman smiled, excitedly talking about the twins and how much they had achieved thanks to school. Pride flooded his heart as it turned out how much Damon had already helped them. But he just listened. Till the eternity, he would have been able to sit here in the car and just listen to his wife talk. Her excited, jingling voice filled the SUV's airspace. He watched as the golden-blonde shower of her hair fluttered in a sudden motion, thinking that he had never seen anything more beautiful. All the peace of Silver City, and even nothing he has ever experienced, has caught up with this spectacle. He eagerly absorbed every single manifestation of Caroline's presence. He never wanted to break away from her again.

Caroline suddenly fell silent and looked sideways.

"I thought you were going to be fill with thousands of questions, but you're terribly quiet."

Stefan smiled at her.

“I just missed your voice.”

Despite being a vampire, she blushed. It was always like that when she was praised. She smiled at littlely as she shook her lashes.

“Then I'll ask! How did it happen?”

Stefan thought for a moment. He didn't know much about the details either.

“I think I was in heaven. Or something very similar. That place works strangely. It would be hard to explain how, but I spent most of my time in the Salvatore house. I wrote, I ran into acquaintances, we looked down on Earth from time to time.”

Caroline suddenly interrupted.

“Who did you see? I mean, was there anyone I could know?”

"Sheila, Lexi, and I ran into Klaus once."

“Uh-uh. And Tyler, or Jo, or…”

“Sheriff Forbes?”

They looked at each other for a moment. Pure love flowed from Stefan's eyes, and he couldn't scrape a grin from his face, but Caroline's gaze showed a tense anticipation.

"Yes," she said softly.

“I saw Liz. She is fine and very proud of you.”

Tears welled in the corner of the blonde vampire's eyes, but her face shone. Stefan thought again that he had done very well not to look down on Caroline from above. He would have been unable to continue to feel peace if he had seen this face.

“Going back to your previous question, Amenadiel suddenly appeared at the boarding house. He's that tall, black guy. He is an angel.” Caroline frowned and Stefan continued. “He wasn't alone. He also brought Enzo with him.”

His wife jerked her head side. She was visibly surprised by what Stefan had just told her.

“Well, yes. Somehow I reacted the same way. Amenadiel said I had to come back because they needed me, so he made a barter. My soul, in exchange for Enzo’s.

Caroline's mouth opened than she pressed her lips into a thin line.

"That's why Bonnie said he was gone. Damon mentioned that he had met him and that he would not be coming back anymore.”

This, in turn, surprised Stefan. He raised his eyebrows questioningly as he looked at his wife with widened eyes.

“How?”

The blonde vampire took a deep breath.

“Now seems to be the part where I will enlighten you on some of the small changes that have happened in the near past.”

She told all this with a grin to the younger Salvatore.

“So?”

“So, your brother is dead. Again.” Caroline shrugged. “He became a member of the ‘we never grow old’ club again.”

"Is Damon a vampire?" Stefan asked.

“Yep.”

Stefan threw himself back in the seat. He didn't expect that at all. He didn't even know how to feel about it. According to Caroline, Damon lived a happy life as a human being. He had a family, earned his living as a successful businessman, and was able to live his inexplicable desire for adrenaline in the Scooby gang (well, and his control freak behavior that sometimes surfaced just as hard as Caroline's). So what the hell happened?

“How?”

Caroline looked back at him with a worried face, as if she didn't really know how to let him know what had happened.

“I know you loved Elena.” Oh, of course. Another mystery. "But she's not the girl you remember for a long time." The Blondie focused on the road again. “Damon and Elena's marriage is not exactly a model. They fought a lot, and I don’t think any of them felt happy next to the other.” Stefan wanted to interrupt, but Caroline raised her index finger, indicating that the man would not intervene. "Before you say your brother has ruined something, I'll tell you that Damon was a great dad and good husband to Elena, but he should never have married a woman he hadn't been in love with for a long time."

Stefan opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it. He thought for a moment about what Caroline had said. He knew the Gilbert girl, accepted her along with her mistakes, but Damon never could see clearly. Elena was cheated on Stefan while the vampire would have been willing to give up everything for her then, and after she became a vampire, she threw away their relationship as simply as others get rid of their used belongings. They think back with some nostalgia about how good it was to use them, then throw them in the trash or put it at the garage sell without regret. But he forgave her, mainly because Caroline was standing next to him. Elena had a dark side that might have impressed Damon for a while, but he knew his brother well.

Damon was pure-hearted, often cruelly honest and naive, like a child. He longed for someone to love him so much he didn’t realize who he was in love with. He just went after his own head, satisfying his selfish desires. Elena manipulated Damon even before they were together. She openly flirted with him while knowing how well the other felt about her. And somewhere Stefan was happy about that. Elena held the two of them together. She played her cards much more skillfully in such a field than Katherine. She did not made fight them to each other, but set the brothers on her side. But Damon has improved a lot. His visit to the prison world changed him in some way. He began to care about the people around him, and not just for Elena. Everything suddenly became clear to Stefan. Although Damon still held himself to make Elena the love of his heart, there was someone else for whom his brother did everything. The only one he would have been unable to hurt with will. Stefan remembered what Damon once told him, "If you love someone, sometimes you have to go extremes." It wasn't about Elena then. Damon would have killed himself, thrown his future away, just to keep alive the one he loves.

He turned his head slowly to Caroline, who looked at him with raised eyebrows as if waiting for Stefan to finally say the right answer.

"Bonnie," he finally breathed.

Caroline nodded.

"Damon went into a marriage he knew in the beginning that it wasn't going to work, but he wanted so much to prove to the world that it was worth it to bother after that bitch that he didn't care what was going to happen, and didn’t help of course that Elena conceived herself.”

Stefan looked at the vampire in shock again.

“It's a long story. I'll tell you one day.”

"And what happened to Damon?"

The Blondie pursed her lips. She tried hard to quell her anger.

“About a couple of months ago, it turned out that some of the school’s prospective, current, and some graduating students had disappeared. Bonnie had just withdrawn from the situations because she was on the Travelers hunt.” Stefan looked at her questioningly. “It's a longer story. The point is, we didn't find them. Bonnie’s tracking spells have consistently failed, and we haven’t gone anywhere with traditional methods. Then on Stephanie's birthday, Damon found Elena's diary.”

Caroline looked at Stefan with a little pity.

“It turned out from it that Elena was working for the Augustine Company, and based on what Bonnie said, they keep in captivity our students also.”

There was a long silence. Stefan didn't want to believe what he heard. He knew full well that his ex could go into questionable things, that her loyalty was, to put it mildly, shaky, but that was the kind of cruelty he didn’t look out of her.

“And it's not over yet. I don’t know exactly how it happened, but Bonnie found Damon unconscious, who was on his death because he was shot in the abdomen and the antidote was sucked out of him by Elena.”

The man turned pale, his ears began to murmur, and thoughts raced through his head. He tried to imagine that the lovely, decent Elena Gilbert, whom he had rescued from the river, with whom they fell in love at first sight, who had lost so much, had done such horror. There has to be some kind of explanation! Maybe she was forced. Or she had no choice.

"I just can't believe it, Caroline. Elena would never do that.”

The blonde vampire frowned angrily.

"The Elena you knew is unlikely. But after she woke up from her coma, she changed. She didn't want to be part of the supernatural world so much that she didn't even go near the school, even though she knew how much it meant to Damon. Bonnie casted protective spells on their house herself, and Damon too, so no one could find them if they didn't want to, but Elena was no longer interested in the Scooby gang or the city. She devoted herself entirely to her career even after Steph was born.”

Stefan smiled. Despite all that he had just heard, he was already looking forward to meeting his niece. According to Bonnie, she could have been a very nice little girl full of kindness and love.

Caroline bit her lower lip, then looked at her passenger for a fleeting moment, then turned her gaze back to the road.

"By the way, your niece is also blessed with special abilities. But Elena doesn't know that.”

“What?”

“Stephanie can read people’s minds and has dreams that usually come true.”

“So, she is a witch?”

“Bonnie’s opinion is she is not. She can't cast spells.”

Stefan thought for a moment, then came to mind.

"Elena is a descendant of the Petrovas, who, if I remember correctly, were Travelers. Maybe there really is some kind of magic in the little girl.”

Caroline abruptly stopped the car, causing Stefan to swing forward and the seat belt to bite into his chest. He hissed in pain.

“Au! What happened?”

“Oh, I’m sorry! I totally forgot that you are human now.”

The blonde vampire untied her own and the man's belt in a quick motion. She patted Stefan's chest all the way and sighed with relief when she didn't feel any injury. When she wanted to pull her hand back, Stefan caught her wrist. He gently pulled his wife towards him, then grabbed her face in the palm of his hand, smiled at her, and kissed her. At first gently, as if the woman were made of glass, then the kiss deepened.

It was his second chance and this time he won’t let go. If necessary, he will do anything to keep Caroline next to him. He loved her so much. Better than anyone before. The chattering, control freak Caroline Forbes, who was once told that things would never work between them, became his true love, his partner, his best friend, his support. When he felt he couldn’t count on anyone, she was the only one he instinctively trusted. He won't let her go again.

The kiss was only interrupted for a short moment or two while they took a breath, then Stefan pulled Caroline into his lap. At the moment, they were not interested in anything else. Caroline also forgot what she wanted to say though something came together for her. But the intoxication caused by Stefan's touches erased all meaningful thoughts from her brain. She just wanted to feel the man. The warm palms plowed along her side, touching her skin as the other pulled on her blouse. With her long fingers, the vampire dug into Stefan's hair before the man began to bite her neck. Caroline shivered.

However, something was very forgotten. Caroline's SUV was parked on the side of the road, and it wasn't just them heading for the Salvatore Boarding School. A long-unused, light blue, folding-top, impeccable 1969 Chevy Camaro slowed down next to them, which was probably bought by its owner when it rolled off the assembly line and hasn’t been replaced since. In fact, he was still sitting in it. He gestured to the SUV with a grin, and next to him a loudly laughing witch tried to restrain herself, with little success.

"I'm really glad you found each other so nicely and settled your arguments, but we have an urgent matter, kids!"

Caroline and Stefan fluttered like startled birds.

“Hurry, hurry! Get yourself together and head to the school, my dear lovebirds!”

Caroline hopped back into her seat and grinned mockingly at Damon.

"The pot call the cattle," she growled under her breath, but of course her brother-in-law heard it.

Damon wiggled his eyebrows teasingly.

“At least now you know how it feels!”

He crashed the car and quickly shifted into gear, but he could still hear Caroline shouting after him!

“Screw you!”

“I heard it, Blondie!”

With that, they quickly disappeared on the horizon.

Stefan laughed softly. A few moments earlier, they behaved like horny teenagers and it felt good. Caroline glanced at him, then laughed. The man kissed her again, but this time they didn't go any further. As their lips parted, Stefan stroked Caroline's face and looked deep into his wife's eyes.

“I love you, Caroline! I promise I'll never leave you again! It costs what it costs, but I stay by your side as long as you let it.”

“Oh, Stefan!”

The vampire hugged her husband tightly, and at that moment she wished they were both vampires again.  


~*~

Meanwhile in the Camaro…

Bonnie chewed the edge of her mouth. The appearance of Amenadiel and Lucifer completely surprised her. The fact that Castillus is alive has raised new questions. She suspected Stefan’s miraculous resurrection had something to do with Enzo's disappearance and, of course, the angel. And all of this is somehow connected to the doppelgangers, the Travelers and the Curse. She knew nothing about of the four women who showed up out of nowhere. Amenadiel seemed to know them, and for some reason Bonnie also felt them familiar. 

As they showed up, the Bennett witch felt the connection between them and herself as if she had met Lucy. If the four of them were lost Bennetts, they had nothing to fear, though Bonnie thought Lucy was her last relative. Maybe Grams still had secrets she didn't share with her. Or maybe she should talk to the ghosts to see if they know anything about the girls. In any case, she did not feel that they were in danger.

Damon took a loud sip from his thermos. This diverted the witch's thoughts back to Elena. To what she did and what happened after the man turned. Ever since they got into the car, they hadn't said a word to each other, and the silence was starting to get pregnant. Bonnie would have opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't know what to say. In the garden it was simple; words just burst out of her and what happened it happened. She was just now beginning to grasp the significance of what Damon had told her. Ten years is an awful long time, and during that time, their partnership, their friendship, or whatever is between them, only deepened. Did the man do this consciously? Or was that just how things turned out? Or maybe she is thinking too much again. She should be happy. After so many years of stifled longing, it turned out that the other was feeling the same way. And then what about Elena? Bonnie felt her head explode slowly.

“Okay!”

Damon's voice jerked her back into the present.

"I gave you ten minutes to think quietly, digest it, run through your brain what happened! Well, what did the machine throw out?”

The vampire smiled kindly at her, but it could be seen from the tense, whitening fingers of the steering wheel that he was tense. 

“All right!” Bonnie began. “Let's go in line!”

Damon nodded and fixed his eyes on the road.

“Amenadiel is in charge of Stefan. I managed this to figure out. I don’t know how he did it, but Enzo’s disappearance and your brother’s appearance are somehow related.”

“Hmmm… Then remind me to thank him. Next!”

“Do not hurry me!”

"I'm not urging you, I just want to know what's going on in your pretty little head."

Bonnie let out a tired sigh.

"Castillus is not dead, and he has the opportunity to be no different from Silus. I don't want you to end up in a safe at the bottom of the mine lake.”

Damon pursed his lips. The appearance of the doppelganger also worried him. It had never turned out well before if two of them were in one place at the same time.

"And I don't know why Lucifer is here." There’s something big going on if he’s willing to come this far. No casinos, no night clubs, and I don’t think there would be too many hookers running around the streets.”

Damon frowned at her.

"Lucifer is the embodiment of lust," Bonnie continued. “Hedonist and seductive.” The witch tried to sink as deep into the passenger seat as she could. “It's hard to resist him. Especially if he wants to enchant somebody.”

“Aaand?” Damon raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Bonnie got her head sideways. The vampire's chin tightened, his mouth squeezed, and his hands gripped the driver wheel tightly. Damon Salvatore was jealous. And the witch is a little grumpy about that.

“Now I'll tell you one last time! Lucifer and I are just allies, he is just a friend. Neither more nor less, and there will be no more than that. I was differently affected by Lucifer's charm. He said I was untouchable and that he wouldn’t achieve his goal on me anyway.” Bonnie folded her arms in front of her chest. She was embarrassed and tried to avoid Damon's bone-deep, ice-blue gaze by staring out the window.

“Because?” The vampire continued to search.

Bonnie murmured under her breath.

"As good as my hearing is, please speak a little more clearly."

“Myheartistiedtosomeoneelse.” Bonnie was still murmuring.

“Once again, this time nicely articulated!”

Bonnie turned to him angrily.

“He said… he said he wouldn’t have a chance with me if hell froze either, because… my heart is tied to someone else. It doesn’t happen very often that someone loves somebody so much that she has the hottest, truly, most secret desire to be with him. Every single time she is asked this question.”

Damon grinned smugly at him.  


“Oh, Bon-Bon! If I know this sooner…”  


“Don't be full of yourself so much! It doesn’t change the fact that you lied to me and Elena and everyone else when we’re already there.” The witch couldn't stop the rising anger. "You made us believe that no one else existed for you but Elena. Still, what should I have done?”

"Well, you didn't protest when I proposed her!" Damon snapped back.

"As far as I know, I didn't turn off my feelings for you! I wish I could!

It worked. Damon looked at her as if he had been slapped in the face and turned the steering wheel in a sudden motion, then stopped the car. He stared out the windshield with prickly eyes for a moment and blew like a bull. When he felt calm, he turned to Bonnie. The blue eyes almost scattered sparks.

“I know I messed it up. I shouldn’t have done that, but I didn’t see any other way out. You don’t know how it felt to be near you then. I couldn’t think of anything else but how I could deepen my teeth into you while you’re screaming my name. It wasn’t like the usual hunger. In each minute we spent together, I had to struggle hard not to eat you or throw you to the nearest, relatively stable structure and fuck the soul out of you while lying in that damn coffin I had a girl promised that our relationship would last forever. I felt like a bastard and hated myself for it.”

Bonnie looked at him in chill. If she thought about it better, she probably wouldn’t have acted otherwise. She remembered crying all night after Damon left her. Many times she blamed herself for not being braver. She wondered what it would have been like if she had told how she felt about him. If she pours out her soul instead of leaving him at that place. If she fight for her happiness. For a minute she didn't think Damon would not be worthy. Surprised, she found herself in a privileged position by standing next to her with the full chest width of the older Salvatore. Therefore, she did not understand why he wanted to protect the her by withdrawing himself from her life.

But this is a thing of the past. Their relationship has changed. The strange tension they felt near the other had now completely disappeared (except for one or two or three occasions when the mood between them really became quite fiery). This comfortable situation was totally messed up this morning and everything became awkward. Plus, Damon's beautiful eyes looked at her with anticipation.

“Say something!”

Bonnie wet her lips and took a deep breath.

“Okay!” The witch, cutting a serious face, began to list the things she had managed to fix in her head so far. “Let's look at the facts! In fact, I’ve found you attractive since I saw you.”

"Given that when we first met, it's a little weird."

Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Then since I first saw you at the Grill. In fact, there is something between us that we cannot put into words.”

“I managed.”

“Seriously?”

“Fine. I’ll shut up.” 

"And the fact is, I really want to be with you, more than anything."

Damon smiled, and Bonnie raised her index finger.  


"But it's also a fact that you've been pretending to be the love of another woman life for ten years."

“I had a good reason.”

“Yeah I know. But still. You were someone else’s husband two days ago, and I was thinking about how to disappear forever so as not to disturb your happy life.”

The vampire put his index finger at the woman's mouth, who wasn't really happy about it.

"Before you convince yourself why we're not together, listen to my version!"

Bonnie pursed her lips and nodded before Damon took a finger from her lips.

“What is between us, friendship, love, desire… Call it as you wish! This did not develop at all yesterday or the day before yesterday. I cared for you from the very beginning, even if I showed it in a very unique way.”

Bonnie raised an eyebrow.

"In a very special way," Damon continued, then sighed heavily. “I loved Elena. I'm not saying no. But over the years, I realized it had more to do with Katherine than with Elena. What I felt for her came from the fact that she looked the same as the first, real big love of my life. After a hundred and fifty years of waiting, Elena was like a second chance. I became just as obsessed with her. And she betrayed me the same way.”

They looked deep into each other's eyes.

“1994 changed a lot. It was as if my brain was starting to clear. I wanted to go home. To prove that my love is unbroken and true and I deserve a happy ending.”

Bonnie looked sideways thoughtfully. Now she knew where the other wanted to go.  


“Oh!”

“Oh?”

“She erased your shared memories.”

“Yes, she did. But that wasn't the only one. I saw how selfish and egocentric she really was, and I thought she was the girl for me. We deserve each other. Beside her, I can be bad too.” Damon sighed again, then held Bonnie's face in his two palms. "The only problem, my little witch, was that I didn't want to be bad anymore."

Bonnie smiled from the heart.

“I didn't mean to disappoint you. At the time, I didn’t really understand why. It felt so different… Loving you is like taking a breath. Light and natural. It is not accompanied by pain, torment, never-ending guilt and fear.”

“Waow! Your notions of love are a little depressing.”

“Are you amazed?”

The witch shook her head.

“And you know the rest. Chaos is everywhere, I was a coward, and by the time I realized what was right, I had missed an opportunity. But I'm tired! Caroline was right. I can’t play Elena’s heart love forever and I can’t pretend we are just friends anymore. That one year was awful. I didn't know where you were going, what you were doing. If something had happened to you and I wasn’t there, or you’d never come back…” Damon looked at Bonnie with a serious face. "So, if not in the way I planned, I still managed to tell you how I really felt about you." The vampire shrugged. “So if you want to or not, it's a fact that I’m in love with you. And that won't change.”

Bonnie understood. She did now. She kissed Damon softly, encouragingly.  


"I still need time," she said at last. “It's too much at once. Elena was like my sister. And now I’m wondering how I could torture her as much as possible.” She didn't tell him that one such way to torture Elena was to make love with Damon in front of her eyes. She spread her arms nervously. “I'm a little confused. I was prepared to stifle my feelings forever. Believe me, it's going well! I have practice in it. And now suddenly… bang!” The witch clasped their fingers. "If we get into this, we both need to be 100% sure."

"I know," Damon replied softly. “I have a daughter. She is the most important.” He looked down at their intertwined hands thoughtfully for a moment, then pulled her fist to his mouth and kissed it. “How about that? We give ourselves three days. We think about what to do next, then we decide.”

"That doesn't sound bad," the witch nodded.

"I'll take you to dinner in three days; we will pick up a fancy dress ourselves, I buy flowers, and the other dating things.”

“And the upcoming apocalypse?”

Damon sighed wearily.

"There's always an upcoming apocalypse, Bon-Bon. Three days. Whatever happens next, I'll take you on a date. We discuss what we’ve got, we set up some rules. For example you can only torture me if I cause someone a serious bodily injury that heals beyond eight days, as defined by U.S. law, that vampire blood can’t repair, or - Damon wiggled his eyebrows “if I specifically ask you.”

Bonnie chuckled.

“Deal, Old Man!”

The witch reached out her hand to seal the deal, but the vampire did not accept it. Rather, he pulled her closer, as far as the seat would allow. When he let her go, he smoothed a stray strand behind her ears and looked deep into her eyes.

“Whichever we decide, don’t forget one thing! I will always be your friend, your best friend! And I will love you no matter what happens between us! And if you don't want to be my girlfriend in the end, I'll try to change your mind a maximum of ten or twelve times.”

Bonnie burst into laugh.

"What if you become the one who doesn't want to be with such a judgmental, annoying, chattering witch?!"

“It would mean hell was frozen, red snow was falling and winged pigs were circling over Mystic Falls, all at once.

Bonnie kissed the vampire again.

“All right. Three days. And now let's go kick some ass!”

Damon slowly, comfortably settled into the driver's seat. He grinned cheerfully as he grabbed the transmission and geared the car. Then he scolded himself.

“The dynamic duo is back in action!”

“Let's speed up, Old Man!”

"Don't worry about that, Bon-Bon!"

And he stepped on the gas.

~*~

A gliding voice, two, then one more, and finally another. Kai counted a total of four, and in the armchair of Stephanie's room he was already waiting for the twins to show up. He waited for the impressive entrance, but he suspected that only Lia of the girls would be willing to help him. He didn't come here anyway to scare Damon or don't give god, Bonnie. To tell the truth, he was more afraid of the witch. So he waited quietly in the room. Thanks to his perfect hiding spell, no one has noticed him so far, although the situation at the Salvatore-Gilbert residence was a fishy one. The half-angel has great power. He was better taken care of. Although Kai knew Castillus was a useful ally, he was also aware that Damon’s ancient ancestor knew exactly why he had been exiled to the prison world, twice. This part of his life has long been a thing of the past.  


As he expected, the four women showed up. Diane frowned angrily in front of her chest. So blocking her emotions completely doesn't go so easily for the girl, Kai thought. He knew a half-blood man who also had a hard time becoming completely emotionless, although he was extremely upset when they ran into each other at the Academy. The oldest twin has managed to hide in casual, 21st-century assembly, and by looking at her siblings, they’ll get close to them as well. Only Evelyn preserved the Xena's image.  


“Honestly now, Kai. Why did you come here?”

The heretic grinned at them broadly. It didn't bother him at all that the people in front of him were fuming. As he began to speak, he struck a light chat tone.  


"If my memory doesn't cheat, only I know how to close the gate. Yeah, you came just to prevent the destruction of the world. Or something similar. How ironic that chaos is my lifeblood for me. But,” he clapped his palms,“ we’re a family, so in Steph’s words, it’s my duty to help you.”

Eve snorted.  


"You can't show up in front of them," Diane said.  


"I have no intention yet, but if the Gate opens, I must."  


Kai's naughty expression disappeared from his face and he became distinctly gloomy.  


"If you understood well what you saw, you weren't born, and everything we know is ruined. The future is not coming.”  


Diane took it back. She lowered her hands and delved into her thoughts for a few moments.  


"That's weird," Kai said again. "I don't remember anything like that happening. When I was ordered back to life, everything was so normal.”

Lia sighed, then sank to Steph's bed.  


"I'm a doctor, not a scientist," she said, raising her hand. "I'm only here because Diane said our parents were in danger. Although it is true that dad and mum never mentioned that the world was in such danger.”

Dianna was still just staring at herself.  


“What if this isn't the first time this has happened?”  


Kai suddenly turned to her.  


“What do you mean?”  


“The crystal brought us here. It showed me what would happen if we didn’t intervene. If Stefan is brought back by the Travelers and the slut is embodied. Remember the ancient documents that Doc Saltzman made us read a hundred times! Signs of the Coming Apocalypse: The child of the dead became living.”  


"Stephanie," Kai nodded.  


“Breaking the enchantment of the doppelganger.”  


“Ew! I guess we've all witnessed that,” Lia interrupted.  


“The resurrection of the vampire and the witch. And finally, the coming of the last doppelgangers. What if we triggered all this?”

Kai got to his head.  


“Okay, okay! This is a temporal geometry I’ve never good at it.”  


Eve shook her head disapprovingly.  


"You should have been listening at Admiral Johnson's class!"  


“Said the geek.”  


Eve held out her tongue at him, and Kai flashed his thousand-watt grin.  


“Event ‘A’ triggers event ‘B’ which leads to event ‘C’ which triggers event ‘A’ and the circle closes,” Eve explained. “It's simple.”  


"That's how the loops form," Evelyn added.  


"We would have felt that," Kai interrupted.  


"Not sure," Eve said. "You don't have your own magic, and we're directly involved. We were. We will be.” Eve waved. “Ah! Never mind.”  


“Right? The tenses!” Lia said.  


“The point is, we don't necessarily have to sense the time loop.”  


Kai rubbed his chin. He understood his job as an engineer, but time travel was still a pretty uncertain discipline. Theories were contradictory, technology was not available to everyone, and paradoxes proved too difficult to unravel, and their research officer was not yet at the height of the situation.

Eve, meanwhile, pulled the chair out of Stephanie's desk and sat down on it.  


“A time loop can be formed in several ways; the possibilities are almost endless. In the present case, I have a strong suspicion that external intervention has taken place. Everything we know about the events of the present suggests that someone wants to change the past, and that’s why Diane was sent back by the time crystal. The time loop needs to be resolved, and to do that, you need to find who started it!”  


Dianna looked out the window, thinking. This theory sounded more logical than any of the others she has outlined so far. They need to stay in the mainstream of the events and pay attention to who doesn’t fit into the picture. In the meantime, keep their identities a secret and prevent others from tearing Kai apart if the heretic witchpire chooses to show himself. It would be tiring to explain that this is not the same Kai Parker who is currently peaking in the 2017 prison world.  


“What now?” Lia asked impatiently.  


Diane looked around the room.  


“We're staying! We help them while trying to figure out who is responsible for the loop. We don’t reveal ourselves, and that applies to you too Kai!”  


“It's going to be pretty hard.” Evelyn looked skeptically at her brother-in-law. "Stephanie will find out about half a minute that you have a close relationship."  


"But she's only five," Kai argued.  


“She won’t be able to tell what kind of relationship that is, but she will feel you know each other. However, with this, you might will change the events of the past.”

Lynn ran her index finger around her neck, as if imitating beheading, before Kai rubbed her neck.  


“Well, I'd love to skip this part.”  


"But it would be quite confusing if it didn't happen. Remember what you had to go through to become what you are now!”  


Evelyn was right. For Kai, or rather that Malachai Parker, who is currently living his life in isolation chained to a chair at the 2017 Grill, has only revenge in his head. He dreams of how he will tear apart the bodies of those who got him there. It would be an inability to convince him that if he lived his life differently and gathered friends around him instead of enemies, perhaps exercised some empathy, or not thirsted for strength so much, he could have a truly happy life.

He rotated the wedding ring on the ring finger of his left hand with his thumb. It was a simple golden ring with engraving on the inside: To the Hero Knight. Kai would do nothing to endanger the life he lives. He will never forget what it was like when he first saw the girl. His body was forced to kill her, but when he went near her and Stephanie touched him, Kai blocked. He had never experienced anything like it before. Warmth pervaded his body and a feeling he hadn’t felt for anyone since he was a child: love. Pure, strong, unconditional love. He regained control of his body and never hurt anyone again. It took years for him to win her heart, and then for almost a century to settle their differences with her father as well. The ring lit up and all five of them knew it was time to leave.  


"You," Dianna pointed at Kai, "hide for a while! I will let you know if we need you. We are waiting for the others at the entrance. Stephanie is approaching and she can't touch us yet.”  


“Invisique!” Kai whispered, then became invisible.  


Accompanied by soft pops, the girls also left the room and joined Lucifer.

~*~

Castillus looked at his father with piercing eyes. The devil was bored. Unwilling to run down the school, they waited for the others in front of the double-leaf gate. Lucifer was just complaining all the time, or just arguing with Amenadiel. It was tiring to watch the lord of the hell whined about the dust clinging to his shiny squashed shoes, or his precious pants fading from the high-setting sun. It was somewhat disappointing. Although, in truth, Lucifer never took anything seriously. Mortals entertained him, but he vomited on them. He didn't care about their fate for a minute. Not that Castillus was delighted with the humans. He found them pathetically weak. They were addicted to the needs and fears of their bodies. They wanted to rule over everything they didn’t know, to destroy. They are petty, selfish, weak and pathetic.

Lucifer's attention was now diverted to the people pouring out of the school building. He stared at the girls and the boys as well. Castillus didn’t even have to read his mind to know the devil was already counting on how many of them being able to seduce at once. Grinning in front of him, he shook his head.

He was much more interested in how Amenadiel managed to bring Stefan back and who were the girls who showed up in the garden of his shadowself. He was worried about the appearance of four completely identical women. There was something inexplicable in them that seemed familiar yet frighteningly powerful at the same time. He turned to the black angel, who was now anxiously peeking his way. Somehow it didn't seem very appropriate. Maybe his dress does.  


“How did you bring the younger brother back?” He finally asked.

The angel turned to him.

“With some help. I found a soul who needed reassurance and in return I got Stefan back.”

“Who helped?”

His uncle did not answer the question. The twins showed up out of nowhere.  


"We did," one of them said.  


"And once we're here," the leather editor stepped forward, "yet when do you want to tell them the truth, Lucifer?"  


The girls seemed to know his father. This was getting more and more complicated. Castillus raged if he didn't know something. Lucifer's face became serious, wrinkles appeared on his forehead, his lips pressed into a thin line.

“What kind of truth were they talking about?”

"The one in which you tell them who the mothers of the doppelgangers really are." Their leader spoke again. Castillus remembered she had introduced herself as Diana.  


The devil now looked annoyed.  


"I wanted to bring up the subject subtly," he said through his teeth.  


Castillus suddenly looked at his father.  


"What are they talking about?  


Lucifer raised his hands in front of him as if trying to defend himself.  


“Ehhem… Don’t be upset offspring, but there’s a little twist about Lilith’s curse.”  


Now one of the girls (if Castillus remembered well, she was Lia) raised an eyebrow.  


“A little twist? I wouldn’t call a lie lasting two thousand years as a little twist.  


Lucifer growled at them.  


“Why aren’t you shut up? I don't even know you!”  


Rocking her hips, Lia walked over to the devil, stroking the collar of his dark blue suit, which Lucifer apparently didn't really oppose. She leaned close to his mouth. To do that, he had to stand on tiptoe. She rubbed the devil's nose with hers, then she began to speak softly.  


“But we know you well. We know that you have precious beating heart under your scary face.”  


Lucifer would have already leaned to a kiss, but Lia pulled her head back and her ice-blue eyes flashed red.  


“What the…?”  


She put her index finger on the devil's mouth.  


“Sssh… It's a secret.”

With that, she huddled back to her sisters, who shook their heads and looked at her in disapproval.  


"You could rule yourself at least once in your life," Diane growled as Lia shrugged.  


It took Lucifer a few seconds to gather himself, then cleared his throat.

"I haven't wanted to reveal the secret of Lilith's identity yet, but if you insist on it so much…”  


Dianna raised her hand. Meanwhile, Mazikeen listened intently to them.  


“Not yet! Let's wait for the others! They need to hear that too! Mostly … Bonnie.”  


They didn't have to wait long. A minute later, almost at the same time, the iron gate opened and the gray, electric SUV and the dense, smoke-emitting Camaro rolled through the iron gate. The others followed them.

~*~

Alaric was prepared for anything. To a supernatural invasion, to the end of the world, to protect his students from curious people, to the lessons of his syphoner daughters, to the teaching of Hope, so, really, everything. But when Stefan walked in with Caroline at his side, he turned pale. He couldn't tell how long he stood there with his feet rooted to the ground in front of the main fireplace. He stared at the younger Salvatore and simply didn't want to believe what he saw. Even after a while, he could only yawn.

Caroline shone. He couldn't find a better word for it, but Ric was worried. It seemed so unnatural. He looked questioningly at Bonnie, who shrugged. So it wasn't arranged by the witch. He also surveyed the tall man in the suit. Alaric wasn't short either, but Lucifer even grew a few inches over it. He walked proudly around the Salvatore school lounge, touching almost everything as if everything was his. Like a child.

Damon and Castillus crossed the threshold at the same time. Then Alaric walked over to a secret wall compartment by the fireplace and pulled out a full bottle of bourbon. He couldn't take it soberly anymore. When the four completely identical girls appeared, he sank down on the couch and pressed the cool bottle to his forehead. What's going on?  


The school was mostly empty. The last day of teaching was held on Friday, so all the students who still had a family went home for the summer break. All that was left were the kids that only Alarics took care of, and of course the twins, Stephanie and Dorian. The teachers are also gone for the vacation. The teaching assistant also entered the lounge, but got stuck at the arched entrance as he looked through their “guests”.  


“How? What? Who?”  


He could only hesitate and Stefan sent him a faint smile accompanied by a waving. Bonnie and Caroline went to the kitchen. They brought glasses. They took Ric's hand off the bottle and poured everyone a drink. The girls refused the glass, not even sitting down. Their eyes raced through the members of the company, then they looked at each other and sent many telling glances to each other. Damon walked to the upstairs, but Caroline immediately stood in front of him.  


“Where do you want to go?”  


Damon wasn't really happy about the intervention.  


“To my daughter.”  


"No," Bonnie said.  


“That's not a good idea at all!”  


“Why not?”

Damon glanced nervously at the two women who wanted to stand in his way. Anger began to form in him and in almost moments it turned into rage. He clenched his fist so tightly that his fingers turned white, but he didn't even notice.

Caroline placed her hand soothingly on his chest while Bonnie took his arm.  


“Look! There’s no other living person in this world who you love more than her, ”the blonde vampire said. "Think about what would happen if hunger suddenly broke out in your current state!"  


“Caroline is right. No matter how well you manage your craving for blood, you have just turned.”  


“I'm a vampire again, so what?!”

He tried to free his hand from the witch's grip, but failed. That surprised him. He looked questioningly at Bonnie, who shrugged.  


“Precaution.”  


“Uhu.”  


Caroline grabbed Damon's chin and forced him to look her in the eye.  


“You've been human for seven years. It also took a long time to get used to it. Look at you! You can barely control your anger, and when you saw Stefan you sobbed like a little child. In front of all of us. Your emotions are heightened. Stephanie is your daughter. Your strongest human bond. I'm not afraid of you to kill her, but…”  


Caroline didn't even have to finish the sentence. Damon calmed down immediately. At the moment, he really couldn’t keep his emotions under complete control. Too much was swirling in him and he was hungry. He felt tension all over his body, he wanted to kill, eat, tear everything apart. The murderous instinct bubbled in him like the soup in the pot, but as before, he managed to control it now. His desire for blood was not so strong he could suppress it. But he wanted to see his daughter. He needed to know that everything would be fine with her, because if didn’t, he could even stab a stake in his heart. Because Damon Salvatore had a lot of things. An innocent little boy who kept hiding behind his mother's skirt. A deceived lover whose feelings were played out. A soulless vampire whose human life is worth as much as an insect's. A hero in love, loyal friend, average Joe, but most of all he was a father. Stephanie means everything for him, if he lost her, he would die.  


“I need to see her, Caroline!” Damon begged.

The Blondie nodded.  


“Take Bonnie with you! If something goes wrong, she can stop you.”  


The witch didn't say a word, just nodded. Damon sensed something because he suddenly got his head back. Stefan stood behind them.

“Take me! I really want to meet my niece.”

“That's enough!!!”  


Eve stuffed her feet hard. At the same time, a fire ignited in the fireplace and all the candles began to burn. They all turned in the direction of the four women. She vamp sped to Damon, grabbed his arm, and threw him on the couch next to Alaric.  


“You sat down too!”  


Her voice was so commanding that they simply had to take her word for it.  


“Huh! So it's getting better. Don't look at me like that, Diane!” Eve turned to Damon. "Are you serious now that Steph won't be able to cope with the fact that you are a vampire?"  


Damon would have opened his mouth to speak, but instead responded to Alaric's astonished gaze with a shrug.  


"Things have happened." Now he winked at Bonnie, who pursed her lips in response.  


Eve continued to lament. No one but her siblings knew what that meant. The darkening veins around her eyes appeared and disappeared, and the fire flickered in the room in the same rhythm.  


“Stephanie can read emotions from people, connect souls. I think if someone can understand what you’re going through, it’s her. So the big conversation can still wait! There are more important things on the table! Your future is at stake!”  


"Or rather, the future of us all," Lia interrupted.

Meanwhile, Diane gnawed angrily on the edge of her mouth.  


"You can start by telling us who you are!" Bonnie snapped. “Witches, vampires, heretics? Neither one is a very good combination. You show up out of the blue, commanding us while you acting as if you were the only solution to our problems.”  


“Because we are the only solution to your problems!” Eve almost shouted.

Truth be told, they were already bored to watch events from the background. They are used to them controlling their lives. They were independent, adult women of hundreds of years who were responsible for many people. They worked in a responsible position and had a power that those here in the present would not yet understand.

Eve remembered how she would have quarreled with Bonnie the same way a hundred years ago when she wanted to leave the family for a man. Because of a non-human man. She wanted to be his warrior mate at a time when peace was still hanging in a hair between the two races. Eve even left her family for a while, but she soon realized that life wasn’t that simple. She bit the man because it was their custom, but that bite evoked long-forgotten instincts in her. She no longer just wanted to make love, she wanted to feed. The taste of the spilled blood was sweeter than anything she had tasted so far and she killed her partner. With this, she nearly plunged the quadrant into another war situation. Tormented with guilt, her ears and tail drawn she went back to her parents, who, instead of being condemned, received her with open arms.

It reminded her of who she was facing and she calmed down a bit. She was still panting fiercely, but she no longer wanted to set the living room on fire. As the rage subsided, the flame of the candles and the fire flowing in the fireplace also began to subside. Eve swallowed hard.  


"I'm so sorry I yelled at you like that." There was sincere remorse in her voice, and she drilled her eyes straight into Bonnie's. "Maybe we really should start with who we are."

Diane looked at her in fear.  


"Not everything," Eve replied. "But it wouldn't hurt to share a thing or two with you."  


“No!” Diane's voice split sharply into the air. “Only when necessary! Don't be fools!”  


“Fools?!” Evelyn got angry too. "How can you expect them to trust us if we don't tell them anything?"  


“Trust is a human emotion. Logic dictates that we make the information we have available to them at the right time.”  


"Screw your logic, Diane!" Eve growled.

While the girls argued, the others looked at them in shock. Part of it because they were dazzlingly beautiful. Some inexplicable power emanated from them, as if their bodies were vibrating in a magical light that could not be seen but felt. On the other hand, they were exactly the same. They could only be distinguished by their dress, and they wore their hair differently, but otherwise they can't be distinguished. As with Katherine and Elena.  


It fell to Castillus for the first time. He had been keeping an eye on the doppelgangers for two thousand years, not having difficulty spotting them. But something was wrong. He slowly got up from his armchair, where he hooded on arrival and walked a little closer to the girls. He looked closely at them and then pronounced his verdict.  


"I guess you're twins."

The bickering stopped immediately. Lia (a girl dressed in white from head to toe who tied her long black hair in a ponytail) looked straight into the half-angel's eyes. This look was somehow very familiar to Castillus.  


"Yes," she said. “We are twins, but we were not born at the same time. We came into the world an hour or two apart. I am the second oldest.”

It sounded more like she considered herself the eldest, and she drew herself up proudly.  


“But you're not just twins. "Castillus didn't ask, he stated. You are doppelgangers.” He measured the four of them slowly, thoughtfully.  


“Oh, Cas!” Lia sighed, stroking the half-angel's face. “It's always a pleasure to work with you. You are like our…”

“Emilia, for God's sake!” Diane shouted at her sister.

At that time, several things happened at once, which completely surprised the team. The floor trembled beneath them, the glasses clattered, and one of the empty chairs slammed against the wall, then the wind intensified in the room, the heavy velvet curtains fluttering, and a window broke out. Bonnie responded first. She grabbed Diane's arm because she suspected that the strange phenomena in the room were tied to the four strangers. She thought angrily that they had to deal with something dark, ancient again, that had something to do with the doppelganger hysteria. Then suddenly everything fell silent. She took the arm of the unknown woman, who no longer looked so unknown.  


Dianna's ice-blue gaze collided with the witch's, and a tear rolled down her face. She looked into the dark green eyes and her emotional barriers broke into a rip. She recalled how reassuring it was to look into those eyes, how she was rocked by the arm that is now clenching her wrist, how velvety her voice was when she sang to them, how she was kissed on the forehead by the mouth that was now open in amazement.  


“Please don’t!” She whispered faintly. “It can’t be yet.”

But Bonnie didn't let go, and Diane couldn't resist. Memories erupted that the Bennett witch could have a glimpse of, since they, too, were Bennett. The next generation of protected bloodline who ensured eternal survival.  


Bonnie saw many things at once, by the time she let go of Diane's hand, three things had become certain for her. First, what he will tell Damon in three days. Then, that the girls can be trusted to the maximum, and that their future, though not going to be easy, still brings happiness to them. He stepped closer to Dianna, or Dianna Shiela Bennett, to whom she gave this name when she was born. She was the first to sneak out, screaming loudly, and Bonnie then thought she couldn’t achieve greater happiness in life.  


Bonnie saw many things at once, by the time she let go of Diane's hand, three things had become certain for her. First, what she will tell Damon in three days. Then, that the girls can be trusted, and that their future, though not going to be easy, still brings happiness to them. She stepped closer to Dianna, or Dianna Shiela Bennett, to whom she gave this name when she was born. She was the first to sneak out, screaming loudly, and Bonnie then thought she couldn’t achieve greater happiness in her life.

She stroked her face. Now she recognized them, and the third thing she was sure of was that she couldn't tell anyone about it yet. The more they know about the future, the more they would put it in danger, and Bonnie didn’t want that. However, she had a few questions.  


“How?” She whispered, addressing Diane, but Lia (the windstorm) replied with a wide smile instead of her sister.

“Well, we don't want to know that.”

Bonnie chuckled at that.  


“But there are theories. Magic theories. I am on the side of involuntary magic.” Lia pursed her lips slightly. "Witches can do weird things when they lose control."  


“You mean when…?”

Lia and Eve patched their ears.  


“We don't want to hear that! It was just enough to see what you did in the back garden.” They imitated vomiting. “Like horny teenagers, blah.”

“And what else?”

Now Eve answered.  


"According to historical research," she nodded to Alaric and Dorian, "we're not the only hybrids. For just understandable reasons, they don’t really advertise this. So it could also be a natural process, which is quite rare, but it can come together under certain circumstances. Let’s say you also need a celestial event or something like that. But since we have no more siblings and practically live in a world of rare astronomical phenomena, plus… How can this be nicely articulated?” Eve looked questioningly at Diane, who shrugged at Damon. "So, be enough that you've been caught on it quite a few times. And Dad can't really hide his admiration for you.”  


“In short. We have taken this theory away,” Lia closed the awkward conversation.  


“I'm on the theory of the Predestination. That was the plan. At the right time, in the right place,” Evelyn interrupted now. “We had to be born. Just like Steph’s case. For thousands of years they tried to bring the right brother together with the right doppelganger, and now they have succeeded. As this happened and Steph reached the right age, the bond, bang… disintegrated.”  


Castillus was still standing around them a few steps away. He heard what they were talking about, but he didn't understand a word of it. He wanted to look into the heads of the four doppelgangers, but they resisted strongly. He was simply pushed out.  


The rest of the team began to become impatient. Alaric cast nervous glances at the strangers as he refilled his and Damon's glasses as well. Stefan rubbed his chin by the fireplace, trying to find any handrails from the conversations around him to start deciding what the hell was going on with him. Caroline's eyes zigzagged anxiously between her brother-in-law and her husband. For her, the well-being of the two of them was more important than anything now. Damon's impulsivity intensified, which could be a cause for concern, and Stefan's miraculous return brought her joy and fear at the same time. She didn't know how long the man could stay. All she has learned is that returning from death has serious consequences. But she was sure of one thing, and even if the world fell apart around them, she wouldn't let Stefan go.  


Lucifer didn't bother at all. As soon as he arrived, he sank into one of the most comfortable leather armchairs, grabbed a drink, and circled his gaze curiously around the huge lounge. His attention was mostly drawn to the two crossed spears above the fireplace. He was familiar with these objects from somewhere, though no doubt he did not know the history of the Salvatore family as well as Castillus. He also surveyed Amenadiel. His brother stood behind the couch with his arms folded. He frowned, but held his head proudly high, as always, and Mazikeen grabbed everything that was at her fingertips. The devil was already waiting for what would be the sequel. There was good chaos in the making; he felt it in his gut and raised his glass to Stefan with a wicked grin.

But Damon didn't take his eyes off Bonnie either. Judging by the witch’s reaction, she may have learned something about the girls because after the “touch,” she started chatting cheerfully with them. He paid attention to every word, tried to put it together, figure out what they were talking about, but important seeming details were missing. Fortunately, this kind of curiosity quenched his hunger. As he looked away from Bonnie, his thoughts turned again to Elena and what he had to go through at night. He wanted to get rid of the Elena problem as soon as possible.

"If you're having fun, we could even get to our first problem on the agenda."

The girls were chilled. After a few weird hand gestures that looked like someone wanted to communicate with sign language, four chairs appeared behind them and they sat down on them. Bonnie nodded kindly at them, then turned to the rest of the company.  


“We can trust them. They are also Bennett witches.”  


Damon looked at them with relief, and the tension he felt at the time of their appearance slowly began to subside. If Bonnie says they can be trusted, they’re fine. He clapped his palms and he stood up too.  


“Well, where do we start?”  


Alaric looked around the company seriously.  


"I don't want to take a step until the students are safe," the principal finally said. "As strange as it sounds, it's not the first time we've been surprised by doppelgangers," he gestured to Castillus, who pulled his mouth into this one-sided smile that was eerily resembling Damon's “or the devil, "looked at Lucifer. "And returning from death is slowly becoming a cliché in Mystic Falls." He looked at Stefan. "I'm glad you're with us again, man! You can't even imagine how much we missed you.”

Stefan smiled broadly and looked lovingly at his brother, who returned the look.  


"So, forgive me for saying that captive children should be saved first."

Bonnie raised her head.  


“Alaric is right! I found the place where they are being held. If you want to help, we welcome it, but otherwise, we will put an end to all this madness that El…”  


“Don’t say it!” Dianna, Evelyn and Eve shouted at the same time.  


"…ena caused," Bonnie finished the sentence before she saw Lia start fuming like a bull.  


"That the dirty, manipulative, selfish bitch. She is a slut, a wicked whore. She would have rotted under the water and her corpse eaten by fishes!” Hate radiated from her words, and the wind began to swirl in the room again. “I curse the day she was born. I hate her and everything she represents.”  


“I'm with you, sister!” Castillus interrupted, raising his thumb. Lia immediately calmed down and sent a faint smile at the half-angel.  


"Did you talk about Elena Gilbert now?" Stefan asked in shock.  


Damon turned to Caroline.  


“Didn't you fill him?”  


“I did. However, it’s hard enough to digest that the lovely, decent Elena, who was always the first for you, is actually a two-tone bitch.” The blonde vampire smiled mockingly at Damon, who was trying to sink as deep as possible into the couch.  


“Make him read her diary! That will convince him.” Bonnie said.  


"Can we finally get to the part where we come up with rescue plans?" Alaric interrupted impatiently.  


“Oh, if we're here!” Castillus raised his hand. "I know there's a huge amount of grimoires in the school library. If you were so kind and gave me access to this valuable collection, I would be very grateful for it.” He pressed both hands to his heart. "I can assure you that my intentions are fair, especially when it comes to the Bennett bloodline." He sent seductive glances at both Bonnie and the girls.

There was disgust on the twins' faces, and Lia was the first to speak.  


“Ew! No!”  


“Never!” Evelyn followed.  


“Are you serious?” Eve said.  


“No no no no no.” Diane shook her head.  


Bonnie finally realized why the girls were reacting so fiercely to it, and her eyes widened.  


“Oh my God!” She got her hand in front of her mouth. “Don't even think about it!”

Castillus shrugged and gave Damon and Alaric a questioning look, who turned to Bonnie, the same silent question in their eyes. The witch nodded.  


“Here!” Damon pointed to the library. “The Stefan Salvatore Memorial Library is at your disposal! Don’t forget to trigger your reading ticket and bring your books back on time!”

The half-angel gestured to the devil, then, accompanied by Amenadiel and Maze, walked out of the living room. Bonnie, meanwhile, turned to the girls.  


"I think you're better off missing out for now."  


Diane nodded understandingly.  


"Given that Emilia could tear Elena to pieces if she saw her, I think it's really better if we retire. It doesn't hurt us to look through a few things. Thank You!” She turned to the other members of her company, and the four of them left.

With only the Scooby gang left and Stefan, they were finally really able to discuss the events of the night. Damon told them everything he remembered. How they broke into their house, how he tried to defend himself, and also how his ex-wife sucked his blood with a syringe. Stefan listened with his mouth open. Again, Damon had no choice. He either dies or becomes a vampire.

The evacuation plan was simple. Bonnie Damon and Caroline run down the building, while Matt and Alaric cover them from the background. Dorian stays here at the school with the girls and Stefan. Fortunately, the protection of the school has now become quite strong. Both the girls and the devil's team seemed strong enough. If they are here, there will be no problem.  


When Damon learned that Jimmie was also among the kidnapped vampires, his anger at Elena reached a level: it escalated into deep hatred. If she had been here now, he would have snapped her neck without thinking. It took a few hours for him to calm down.  


Before they left, Damon finally ventured to talk to Stephanie after all. He opened it into the little girl's room, who was drawing at her desk. He walked over to her, stroked her hair kindly, squatted beside her, and hugged her. He had never been touched so well. He drilled his face into the blonde, soft curls, while the small arms gripped his neck tightly. He felt no hunger, anger, or fear, only infinite love. And the girls finally got it right. He didn't have to say anything. Steph touched his face and then closed her eyes. Damon wondered how he would be able to explain to her what had happened. And then he heard her.

_You don’t have to explain! I can hear you now!_   


Damon's eyes widened, but Stephanie kept talking to him through her thoughts.  


_You can send me pictures in my head too. We can talk, Dad!_   


Damon looked at his daughter in amazement. Of course, now he is also a supernatural being.  


>Can you talk to the vampires?  


_Yes. They can show me a lot of nice things._   


And so did Damon. He recalled their first shared memories, which Stephanie could now see. They could talk to each other without even saying a word.  


_Mom is lost, right?_   


Fear, despair, pain. Damon's heart was broken.  


_Can you bring her back?_   


Damon didn't want to, and Steph saw it.  


_You have to try! Please! She is my mother._   


_I will try._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think about it?:)) I am very curious:D My best part of this chapter the conversation between Damon and Stephanie:)) I mentioned that i have a daughter. I love her so much and she is the model to forming Steph's personality. She is five too. I loved to write Steroline. I love them. And that's why i hate the writers of the show. The Steroline and Bamon are parallels relationship:) They showed us how turn a friendship into a romantic relationship. The Steroline and Bamon are very similar. I am rewatching the show and i am getting angrier. How could they do that? Arghhh!!! But its all about the money:(  
> Okey enought! I hope you will write your opinion:)) Thank you all of your support. Its keep me going:D You need to wait a little bit more for the next chapter cause i have a lot of project, but i am working on it:)) If you intrested still in it, i want to know:DDD Have a nice day:D And thanks for reading:) I love you guys:D Kisses and hug:)

**Author's Note:**

> How do you like it? It was just the Prologue. I dont know what happened ecxatley between Damon and Emily. That was my version of the buisness. Please leave a review. I will be soo happy if u would do. Again, thanks for reading and have a nice day!


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